Storm Coverage May 12, 2008 Thanksgiving 2006 Ernesto (August 2006) February 2006
  • Winter 1998 Nor'Easters
  • 1998 storm repairs
  • 22 days in 1998
  • 2003 snow pictures
  • 2003 storm coverage
  • 2003 storm page
  • 1994 storm repairs
  • 1992 storm repairs
  • After 1962
  • Middlesex Beach
    thru the years
    • Nor'Easter: February 17&18, 2003
  • Delmarva Wave article

    • Post-Storm Photos
    2/18/03 Noon Tuesday update-the snow has stopped.
    Both your Board of Directors and Wilgus are aware of the damage to the Middlesex Beach dunes. Approximately one half of the dunes have been eaten away. The damage is nowhere near as bad as the 1998 storm, but beach scraping and dune rebuilding will be necessary. Tim Hill of Wilgus has begun coordinating repair efforts with DNREC and local contractors, and will be keeping the Board informed of progress at each step along the way. We will in turn be keeping the Property Owners informed. At this time, the natural rebuilding process due to wave action has already begun, but clearly more will be necessary. Unless there is another large storm in the near future, no properties are threatened, but if you have low-lying windows, you may wish to take precautionary steps to protect them. Click here for Delmarva Wave article.
    2/18/03 9:00AM Tuesday update
    It's snowing again. There's more snow on Dune Road right now than at any time on Sunday or Monday-because the wind isn't blowing. No additional damage to the dunes or walkways occurred as a result of last night's or this morning's high tide.
    2/17/03 5:30PM Monday update
    Other than community and private beach walkways, property damage due to the "President's Weekend Storm" in MB was extremely limited, despite the continual high winds and torrential rain/sleet/snow. At the south end of MB, dune damage was more severe than at the north end, but nowhere were the dunes breached.     		Click for more snow photos
    Rt1 through South Bethany was reopened earlier today. At Monday morning's high tide, the ocean broke through in South Bethany and briefly flooded the highway. Rt1 was also closed in Dewey Beach for a similar reason. In Bethany Beach, the ocean broke under the Blue Surf Motel-minor debris had washed out the west side into their parking lot. Also, the steel grates in front of the boardwalk-fronting businesses in the Mango Mike's building were damaged. Water accumulated in the usual low-lying parts in the north part of town. In South Bethany, as usual, all sand/gravel driveways at ocean front houses were moved onto Ocean Road, with minor damage to formerly-underground utilities.
    Monday 2/17 9:30AM update:
    The snow on the beach side totaled about 6" as of mid-day Sunday, before switching to sleet. The "snow" fences lining the MB walkways lived up to their name- extensive drifts of snow built up on top of the wooden walkways. Due to the high wind speeds all day, very little snow accumulated on Dune Road except in drifts, but on Rt.1 and the pine side, the snow cover was more even.
    After dark, the snow switched to rain as the temperature rose above 32 deg. and the wind speed picked up. The rain continued off and on most of the night. At about high tide Monday morning, the wind speed started dropping. Interestingly-the low temperatures over the past few days seem to have frozen the dunes somewhat, and they probably would have suffered more damage Monday morning if that hadn't happened.
    There has been no flooding in Middlesex Beach, but the dunes and walkways took quite a pounding during the high tide between 8 and 9 AM.
    For the first time in several years,
    Middlesex Beach needed the services of a snow plow. The snow that fell on January 16-17 left us about 5-6" of snow...

    In addition, the temperature did not break the freezing point for 5 straight days shortly thereafter. Winter has truly hit Middlesex Beach.
    Have you winterized your house?

    		The Bethany area has already had at least one hard freeze, and this winter looks to be colder than in the recent past. In early December, a burst water pipe on the pine side of Addy Road led to massive flooding of adjacent properties before a neighbor noticed the flow and alerted authorities.
    If you're not going to occupy your property over the winter, it is strongly suggested that you shut off the water supply to your house. If you have Artesian water, there is an underground shut-off valve located adjacent to your water meter near the street. Note that any shut-off valve inside your house can still allow water into a portion of your plumbing that may not be protected from freezing.
    Everyone's house is slightly different-but you should be aware
    of how to protect YOUR plumbing.

    Page and all photography thereon by David A. Wiecking
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