Overview
- The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado over Dover that evening and later rated it an EF‑1 with peak winds of about 100–110 mph.
- The twister carved a roughly 3.2‑mile path through the city, produced a strong radar debris signature, and damaged hotels, a Kraft‑Heinz facility and Dover Little League fields.
- Dover police declared a state of emergency minutes after the NWS confirmation and repeatedly urged residents to stay off roads so emergency crews and utility workers could operate safely.
- Crews and mutual‑aid teams began clearing fallen trees and debris, repairing traffic signals and working to restore electricity while damage surveys and follow‑up assessments continue.
- The Dover tornado was one episode in a broader round of severe Mid‑Atlantic storms that produced other confirmed or suspected tornadoes and ongoing multi‑jurisdictional surveys.