Delaware snowstorm more like a coating [video]

Schools are closed throughout Delaware even though Thursday’s snowfall totals fell short of the 4 to 8 inches forecasters initially predicted.

The heaviest snowfall came in the early morning hours and started to taper off after 8 a.m. in northern Delaware. Snow accumulations were more like 1 to 2 inches on grassy areas and driveways. 

Because the storm started as rain, Delaware transportation officials said they could not pretreat the roads with salt because it would not have been effective. DelDOT crews pre-staged at points along major routes, so they could begin applying salt the moment when the rain transitioned to snow.

A winter storm warning is in place until 1 p.m. in New Castle County. Strong winds are also possible, making driving conditions slick with snow or ice.

In the video below, driving inbound across the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the roadways were mostly wet and visibility was limited. However, traffic moved along without delay. In a statement, Gov. John Carney cautioned drivers to be vigilant and to give themselves extra travel time.

Delmarva Power is reporting about two dozen power outages, but estimated customers should have their power restored this afternoon. 

Weather forecasters are predicting temperatures to stay right around the freezing mark throughout the day and plummet into the teens overnight, causing concern about icy roads for Friday morning’s commute.