City Of Wilmington: Wilmington Prepares For First Winter Storm Of The Season

Press release from the City of Wilmington:

01/28/2022 2:00 PM

Mayor Mike Purzycki said today the City is prepared to handle the first major winter storm of the season, which is expected to produce between four and nine inches of snow between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon with wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour. While the exact snow total could change depending on the path of the storm, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Wilmington and surrounding areas that begins at 7 p.m. tonight and runs through 3 p.m. on Saturday. Driving conditions may be hazardous, so unnecessary travel should be avoided if possible.
 
“As with past winter storms, all relevant Departments and Offices – Emergency Management, Public Works, Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation, and Licenses and Inspections – are prepared for the storm and will offer a coordinated City response,” Mayor Purzycki said.
 
Public Works Commissioner Kelly Williams said department crews have already applied brine to City streets and are ready to plow major arteries before moving on to secondary streets. Public Works will have up to 25 pieces of snow removal equipment on the streets in the coming hours and private contractors are on stand-by should snow accumulation exceed six inches. The City’s Arborist will also be on call for any tree-related issues due to snow and expected higher winds.
 
Mayor Purzycki also offered some basic snowstorm information: 

• Storm updates as well as travel restrictions will be posted on the City’s website at www.WilmingtonDE.gov
• Residents should call 911 for all emergencies.
• Residents should call 311 for any non-emergency storm-related issue or concern.
• Power outages should be reported to Delmarva Power, either online or by texting "OUT" to 67972 on your mobile phone.
• Private snow removal contractors are reminded that it is a violation of City law to pile accumulated snow into banks on streets or any other fashion that affects the efficiency of the City’s street-plowing operations.
• Residents are asked to pay special attention to fire hydrants in their community to ensure that hydrants are clear of snow and visible in case of an emergency. 

Follow the City of Wilmington’s storm-related announcements via the City website at www.WilmingtonDE.gov and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Nextdoor via #SnowWilmDE. Citizens can also accompany the Department of Public Works’ snow trucks in real time by visiting: http://bit.ly/SnowWilmDE.

This press release was produced by the City of Wilmington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.