How many tornadoes hit Kent County, Delaware on August 20, 2026?
The National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes in Kent County — an EF-1 near Marydel, an EF-0 near Hazlettville, and an EF-1 that tracked 3.2 miles through Dover with peak winds of 100–110 mph. No injuries were reported in Delaware. Higher counts circulating online, including "four" and "six," are counting a wider geographic area across Maryland and Pennsylvania, not additional Delaware tornadoes.
By David Sordelet | August 25, 2026
If you've been trying to pin down how many tornadoes actually touched down last Thursday, you've probably found three different answers. That's not misreporting — it's a scope problem, and it's worth clearing up before anything else.
Here is every tornado the National Weather Service has confirmed from the August 20, 2026 outbreak, compiled from survey results released by the Mount Holly and State College forecast offices and reported by Delaware Public Media, 47ABC, and 6abc.
Every confirmed tornado from August 20, 2026
Wrightsville, York County, PA
EF-2 · 120 mph · 1.07 mi · 100 yd wide · 4:24–4:26 p.m. · 1 injury
Columbia, Lancaster County, PA
EF-1 · 100 mph · 1.47 mi · 100 yd wide · 4:30–4:32 p.m. · no injuries
Downingtown, Chester County, PA
EF-0 · path details not released · Thursday evening · no injuries
Barclay, Queen Anne’s County, MD
EF-1 · 95–105 mph · 0.5 mi · 65 yd wide · 5:41–5:42 p.m. · no injuries
Marydel, Kent County, DE
EF-1 · 90–100 mph · 1.33 mi · 60 yd wide · 5:54–5:56 p.m. · no injuries
Hazlettville, Kent County, DE
EF-0 · 70–80 mph · 0.6 mi · 100 yd wide · 6:02–6:03 p.m. · no injuries
Dover, Kent County, DE
EF-1 · 100–110 mph · 3.2 mi · 6:09–6:14 p.m. · no injuries
That's why the numbers disagree. Count only Kent County and you get three. Count Delaware and Maryland together — the framing 47ABC used — and you get four. Count the full outbreak across all three states and you get seven, though the tally sat at six until the Downingtown EF-0 was confirmed two days later. Every one of those numbers is defensible. They're just answering different questions.
Two more sources of confusion are worth naming, because both surface in searches for this event. A separate March 2026 outbreak produced confirmed tornadoes at Ridgely, Maryland and near Frederica, Delaware — different storm, different month. And an EF-1 in West Caln Township, Chester County, dates to June 2023. Neither belongs in the August 20 count.
Damage surveys can also be revised. Ratings are assigned from damage indicators on the ground, and the NWS occasionally updates them as additional information comes in.
What happened in Kent County
The line of storms moved west to east across the Delmarva through Thursday evening, producing three tornadoes in Kent County over a span of roughly fifteen minutes.
Marydel, 5:54 p.m. — EF-1. The tornado touched down about a mile south of Marydel on the east side of Grygo Road and tracked 1.33 miles over roughly two minutes, with peak winds estimated at 90–100 mph and a maximum width of 60 yards. Two large oak trees were uprooted onto the corner of a home. At a residence on Parkers Chapel Road, the survey found a total loss of an older barn and a shed.
Hazlettville, 6:02 p.m. — EF-0. A brief touchdown lasting about a minute, covering just over half a mile with peak winds of 70–80 mph. Damage was agricultural: roof panels removed from an open-air barn, minor damage to chicken house roofs, and damaged solar panels.
Dover, 6:09 p.m. — EF-1. The strongest and by far the most consequential of the three. Peak winds of 100–110 mph along a 3.2-mile path, ending at 6:14 p.m. The track carried it across the U.S. Route 13 corridor and the Loockerman and Division Street area.
The damage in Dover
The Dover tornado concentrated its damage along Route 13 and North DuPont Highway.
The Superlodge motel lost its roof and was condemned the following day after gas leaks were discovered, displacing the people living there. Several units at the neighboring Days Inn were also condemned. At the Kraft Heinz plant, tractor trailers were lifted and thrown into cinder block walls, collapsing them. The Dover Little League fields on Electric Avenue lost a dugout roof that was scattered across the field, along with mangled fencing, snapped poles, and a scoreboard destroyed by a falling tree. A car wash sign on DuPont Highway was toppled, and a cemented light pole was pulled out of the ground.
Power went out across the city and numerous intersections lost signal function. Dover City Hall lost phone and internet service for most of the weekend after trees came down.
No one was seriously hurt. That is the most remarkable fact of the evening, and local officials said so plainly. "Honestly, it's a miracle. I don't know how we made it out," Dover Police Lt. Mark Hoffman told 6abc. City Councilman David Anderson made the same point to Delaware Public Media: "There has not been reported serious injuries or deaths, which is an amazing thing considering the damage done."
The one injury from the entire outbreak occurred in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, where the EF-2 struck a high school and the surrounding area.
The response
Dover Police declared a state of emergency at 6:20 p.m., minutes after the tornado passed, and Mayor Robin Christiansen declared one for the city that night. It was lifted Friday morning.
The Red Cross distributed prepaid emergency cards to displaced residents. The House of Hope shelter in Dover provided overnight accommodation, and a relief center assisted nearly two dozen people before closing Friday morning.
Dover Police also issued an unusually blunt request to people driving in to look at the damage: "If you are out sightseeing, checking out the damage, or doing anything that is not absolutely necessary — YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM."
Where recovery stands
As of Monday, August 24, Dover officials said cleanup will continue for at least another week, depending on weather.
The city has lifted its limit on yard waste for two weeks so residents can clear storm debris from their properties. Kay Sass, Dover's Director of Emergency Management and Communications, told Delaware Public Media: "We are letting residents know that if you are a city resident, we're lifting the amount they can put out for yard waste."
City staff are photographing and filing documentation of every damaged property — a slow process, but a necessary precondition for any disaster recovery assistance. Dover is coordinating with United Way, Delaware 211, DEMA, and the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services to connect affected residents with resources.
If you need help: Delaware 211 is the starting point for storm-related assistance. Dial 211, text your ZIP code to 898-211, or visit delaware211.org.
The longer tail
The visible cleanup ends in weeks. Several effects will run considerably longer.
The condemned motel units represent a real loss of low-cost long-term housing in Dover. Both properties on Route 13 housed residents, not just travelers, and that stock does not come back quickly.
Damage documentation drives everything downstream. Whether Kent County qualifies for state or federal assistance depends on verified damage totals reaching specific thresholds, which is why the city's photograph-and-file work matters more than it appears.
Tree damage is the slow one. Trees that were twisted rather than snapped can look fine and fail months later, and root plates disturbed by 100-mph winds often don't show until the next heavy storm. An arborist's assessment is worth having on any large tree that took a direct hit.
And this was a genuinely unusual event for central Delaware. Kent County sees tornadoes, but three in fifteen minutes, with one tracking three miles through the state capital, is not a typical August.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tornadoes hit Delaware on August 20, 2026?
Three, all in Kent County: an EF-1 near Marydel, an EF-0 near Hazlettville, and an EF-1 in Dover. Counts of four include the EF-1 at Barclay, Maryland. Higher counts include tornadoes in Pennsylvania.
How strong was the Dover tornado?
EF-1, with peak winds estimated at 100–110 mph by the National Weather Service. It was on the ground for about five minutes, from 6:09 to 6:14 p.m., along a 3.2-mile path.
Was anyone injured in the Dover tornado?
No. No injuries or deaths were reported in Delaware despite significant structural damage. One injury was reported in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, from the EF-2 tornado earlier that afternoon.
Is Dover still under a state of emergency?
No. The state of emergency was declared Thursday evening and lifted Friday morning. Cleanup was expected to continue for at least another week as of August 24.
What is an EF-1 tornado?
The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates tornadoes EF-0 through EF-5 based on the damage they cause. An EF-1 covers estimated winds of 86–110 mph — enough to peel roof surfaces, overturn vehicles, and badly damage older outbuildings. The Dover tornado was at the top of that range.
Where can I get help after the storm?
Call Delaware 211, text your ZIP code to 898-211, or visit delaware211.org. Dover residents can also contact the city's Emergency Management office. Yard waste limits are lifted for two weeks.
Sources
Storm survey findings in this article come from the National Weather Service forecast offices in Mount Holly, New Jersey and State College, Pennsylvania, as reported by:
Delaware Public Media — details on two additional Kent County tornadoes
Delaware Public Media — NWS surveys damage as Dover begins clean-up
Delaware Public Media — Dover leaders say clean-up will last another week
47ABC/WMDT — four tornadoes confirmed in Delaware and Maryland
Photographs of the damage were made by Jacob Owens for Spotlight Delaware. See the full photo gallery of Dover struck by tornado.
This article compiles publicly reported information and is not an official emergency communication. For official guidance, follow the National Weather Service Mount Holly office and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.
About David Sordelet
David Sordelet is the Designated Broker of Real Broker Delaware and Team Leader of Team Sordelet, serving Wilmington, Newark, Hockessin, Dover, Middletown, and the Maryland Eastern Shore. Licensed as a Broker in Delaware and an Agent in Maryland.
License: RB-0031238-DE / 5013138-MD
