Brick Schools Closed Friday, Officials Announce

BRICK, NJ — With more than a foot of snow on the ground and the blizzard that is hammering the state showing no signs of relenting, Brick Township school officials have closed school again Friday.

The district said all school activities scheduled for Friday are canceled as well because the cleanup from the blizzard will be lengthy.

According the National Weather Service, more than a foot of snow had fallen in Brick by noon, and the snow was continuing to get heavier as the afternoon went on Thursday. The blizzard warning is not expected to be lifted until at least 7 p.m., the service said.

Strong winds —gusts of up to 50 mph have been recorded at Allaire Airport in Wall — are causing significant snow drifts and complicating plowing and road clearing.

Brick Township Mayor John G. Ducey said the township has 92 pieces of equipment clearing township roads, and those are in addition to efforts by the state and county to clear the roads that criss-cross the township, many of them main roads. Ducey said it normally takes 12 to 15 hours to clear the roads following a snowstorm, but this storm is far worse and the cleanup will take longer.

The district now has two emergency closure days to add to the calendar.

Photo by Karen Wall, Patch staff