SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Strong winds from Isaias knocked trees, signs and wires down on Tuesday. Branches were scattered across Marsh Road in Lewes, Fairway Drive in Bethany Beach and many other roads along the coast.
Samantha Maloney-Gracie of Rehoboth Beach is thankful that a tree in her backyard missed her home when it fell overnight Monday. "It could've taken out bedrooms and we were sleeping in them," says Maloney-Gracie. "That could've been really bad." Traffic lights were out along Coastal Highway. The owner of McCabe's Gourmet Market in South Bethany said that power had gone in and out on Tuesday. Power crews were out in numbers as signs like the one for the York Beach Mall toppled over, taking wires down. "This is the most damage we've had in a while," says Richard Mais. "We had a piece of the Dryvit down by Misaki's Sushi peel off too." Storm-watchers in the Indian River Inlet got as close to the water as they could without being swept away. "I've been coming out here since the 1960's and this storm ranks with some of the best," says Kevin Charles of Rehoboth Beach. "When we were driving here, I could even feel our car being affected by the wind," says Elise Doucet of Fairfax County, Virginia. "This is the only section of beach that you're allowed to access," says Rene Doucet. Rehoboth Beach Patrol put up their red flags, meaning that no swimming was allowed due to dangerous surf and deadly rip currents. DNREC closed all surf crossings and swimming beaches in the Delaware State Parks. The agency also kept an eye on the recently replenished Rehoboth and Delaware Seashore State Park Beaches. "You can see some minor scarping from the storm," says Shoreline and Waterway Program Administrator Michael Powell. "That is a temporary condition that will adjust itself. It's not a lasting damage to the projects." Powell credits Isaias' path for protecting the sand. "Where it came inland over the Carolina's and up to our west is not a particular bad path for the beaches, especially when it's moving so fast," Powell says. Powell says the beaches in Bethany Beach and South Bethany will be replenished in the fall. The beaches may have been spared by the storm, but Maloney-Gracie's tree will be removed from her yard soon. "Now I guess we have some help taking it down," Maloney-Gracie says. Hurricane season runs through the end of November. WRDE meteorologists say the season peaks in September. The latest updates can be found on the WRDE Weather App and Facebook page.
