(CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the number of consecutive days that Wilmington has not had rain. As of Friday, the figure was 34.)
October 2024 was the driest month in recorded history in Wilmington and Georgetown, setting a new record that will be difficult to break.
For both, it was the first time they had ever gone a full calendar month without measurable precipitation. In October, Wilmington normally receives 3.68 inches of rainfall, and Georgetown normally gets 4.11 inches.
As of Friday, both Wilmington and Georgetown have had the most consecutive days without rain in their recorded history. Georgetown has had 35 days; the previous record was set on Nov. 19, 2001. Wilmington has had 34 days, which ties the record set on Feb. 9, 1909, and is expected to surpass the record Saturday.
Only a trace of rain was recorded in both Delaware locations in October, which isn’t measurable. The previous driest month Wilmington had ever seen was October 1924, a century ago, with 0.05 inches; in Georgetown, it was November 2012 with 0.01 inches. Weather records in the region date back to the late 1800s.