WEATHER ALERT: Accidents, Speed Restrictions, Power Outages As Snow, Ice Snarl New Jersey

Welcome to the first real snowstorm of 2015.

Winter Storm Iola brough as many as eight inches of snow, and plenty of ice, to New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Saturday as accidents littered the states’ major highways, and speed restrictions were imposed to slow down drivers on the slick roads.

Accuweather reports that snow was still falling in North Jersey as of 8 a.m., while a wintry mix was falling in the south. Freezing rain is expected for the afternoon.

There will be a few hours of icy patches before the temperatures warm above freezing on Saturday. Thereafter, the rain will lighten up during Saturday afternoon and taper off towards evening as snow showers or a wintry mix, according to the National Weather Service.

Scattered power outages were reported throughout New Jersey - the worst being in the Lakewood area in Ocean County, where as many as 100 people were reported without power.

Watch for a re-freeze on Saturday night.

The National Weather Service reported the following snow totals:

Burlington County, 3 inches; Middlesex County, 5 inches; Monmouth County, 4 inches; Morris County, 8 inches; Ocean County, 2 inches; Somerset County, 5 inches.

NJ Transit had systemwide cross-honoring of rail, bus and light-rail tickets/passes as delays of 30 minutes or more were reported.

The storm had the following impacts:

• There was a 50-mph speed restriction on the Garden State Parkway in both directions early Saturday from Cape May to north of Exit 114 in Holmdel, and a 45-mph speed restriction on the New Jersey Turnpike from the Delaware Memorial Bridge to north Exit 8A in South Brunswick.
• There were 25 mph speed restrictions on the Walt Whitman Bridge, Ben Franklin Bridge, Betsy Ross Bridge and Commodore Barry Bridge between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
• There were 35 mph speed restrictions on the Goethals Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing
• There was an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike southbound near Exit 7A. The right shoulder was blocked.
• There was an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike north of Exit 7. Right shoulder blocked.
• There was an accident and a utility pole down on Route 57 between Route 623 and North Prospect Street in Washington Township. All lanes closed and detoured.
• There was an accident on I-195 eastbound east of Exit 6 - New Jersey Turnpike.
• As of 7:45am, there’s an Accident on the New Jersey Turnpike inner roadway southbound South of Interchange 10 - NJ 440/I-287 in Edison Twp. Left lane blocked.

The snow fell at a rate of an inch-per-hour at times in most of New Jersey before mixing with sleet and a period of freezing rain prior to daybreak, according to the South Brunswick police.

South Brunswick Police alerted residents after midnight to “rapidly deteriorating road conditions,” noting that heavy snow was falling and several motor vehicle crashes had been reported.

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The National Weather Service has issued a “Winter Weather Advisory,” in effect from 9 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, for snow and freezing rain covering nearly all of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

The National Weather Service also issued a “Hazardous Weather Outlook,” saying a ”significant coastal storm” will to track up the East Coast Friday night and through Saturday. The snow will probably mix in, or change to rain Saturday morning. Slick travel will develop late Friday night and into Saturday.

The worst of Winter Storm Iola will hit the heart of the Interstate 95 corridor from the northeast corner of Maryland through Philadelphia to Trenton and New Brunswick, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service said snow accumulations will be 2 to possibly 4 inches, along with around a 10th-of-an-inch of ice. Winds will move northeast at 5 to 10 mph. Temperatures will drop to drop to around 30.

“Unlike many storms this winter, this particular one has the potential to bring a foot of snow to some locations, where rain fails to mix in,” said AccuWeather.com Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams.

How much snowfall versus how much rainfall the state will get depends “on the exact track of what will become a significant coastal storm,” AccuWeather reports. Iola will likely dump “enough snow ... to shovel and plow in this area.”

Although it is possible New Jersey gets all rain instead of snow, forecasters say ”roads will be slippery during much of the storm ... [and] airline delays are likely with the potential for cancellations.”

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