A major snowstorm hit Delmarva in December 2009, just a few days before Christmas.
Some people who remember the event say that it was the worst snowstorm of the decade. The storm arrived on Delmarva on Dec. 19 and continued through the following day.
The nor'easter had a classic set-up: the moisture came from the Gulf of Mexico with the storm intensifying as it moved north along the East Coast and closer to Delmarva.
Winter storm warnings were issued ahead of the storm, which led to high snow totals that many Delmarvans saw in their backyards.
The National Weather Service says that this was the first heavy snowfall of the season.
And it quickly accumulated on roadways with blowing and drifting snow, which became a challenge to clear the roadways.
Snow totals were as highs as 20 to 25 inches in Kent County, Md., and 5-10 inches in Sussex County, Del. The farther south you were, the less snow you received. This gave Delmarva a sharp difference in snow.
For most of Delmarva, this wasn't a heavy wet snow, but light and fluffy since temperatures were in the 20s for most of the forecast area.
Once the storm cleared, the snow was easily visible on satellite imagery.
Many towns were shut down for days as residents' cars were buried in snow.
This storm was also record-breaking as 24 hours of constant snowfall brought accumulations of nearly 2 feet of the white stuff to Washington, D.C.
Karen Kruse took this photo in Hurlock, Md., during the December 2009 snowstorm.
