0700 Hours, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010: For the second time in less than a week, Sussex County is faced with the threat of another rare blizzard as heavy snow, fierce winds, and whiteout conditions are expected to blanket the region later this morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Sussex County until midnight tonight, with forecasters calling for 6 to 10 inches of new snow, winds up to 50 mph, and some tidal flooding. Heavy snow and strong winds will combine to cause visibilities of less than a quarter mile, resulting in whiteout conditions.

The storm is expected to intensify off the mid-Atlantic coast later this morning, with the harshest conditions forecast to begin about midday and persist well into the evening. A state of emergency is now in effect for all of Delaware. Non-essential travel is prohibited during that time.

Sussex County government offices are closed today because of deteriorating road conditions and the impending blizzard. County emergency managers urge the public to heed the latest warnings and avoid venturing out. This is an evolving weather situation with the potential to create life-threatening conditions.

Two shelters activated in response to this past weekend’s blizzard, which brought 1 to 2 feet of snow and knocked out power to nearly 50,000 customers in the county, remain open. Those shelters are:

• Milford Middle School, 612 Lakeview Ave., Milford;
• Sussex Central High School, 26026 Patriots Way, Georgetown.

Residents without power and in need of shelter should contact the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center storm hotline at (302) 856-7366 for instructions. All shelter facilities have back-up generators in place, and staff is available to assist the public. However, those relocating to shelters should bring necessary supplies with them, including clothing, sleeping bags and pillows, medications, drinks, and non-perishable foods.

The Delaware National Guard continues to assist those who need transportation to shelters. Please call the storm hotline if you require assistance relocating to a shelter.

The Sussex County EOC continues to monitor forecasts for the impending storm and is working closely with other local and state governmental agencies. Further updates will be issued as they become necessary.

For the latest list of road closures, visit the Delaware Department of Transportation Web site at www.deldot.gov. To view an up-to-date map of power outages in Sussex County, visit Delmarva Power’s Web site at www.delmarva.com and the Delaware Electric Cooperative’s Web site at www.delaware.coop.

For updates, stay tuned to local television and radio stations, and the Sussex County EOC Web site, at sussexcountyde.gov/services/storm.

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Media calls should be directed to EOC spokeswoman Debra Jones at (302) 855-7801 or Sussex County Chief of Public Information Chip Guy at pio@sussexcountyde.gov.