All Schools In Hillsborough Closed Due To Winter Storm

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — All Hillsborough Township Public Schools will now be closed on Thursday due to hazardous and icy weather conditions.

All after-school events are canceled.

The district announced the closure on Thursday morning after initially calling for a two-hour delayed opening on Wednesday night.

Additionally, the Township Municipal Building will have a delayed opening on Thursday. The building will open at noon.

Forecasters predict rain, snow, freezing rain, and sleet before noon on Thursday, then a chance of rain between noon and 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

• Related: ‘Dangerous’ Ice Storm Winter Prompts New Weather Alerts Across NJ

Here's the National Weather Service's latest forecast for Hillsborough:

Thursday: Rain, snow, freezing rain, and sleet before noon, then a chance of rain between noon and 4 p.m. Patchy fog between 8 a.m and 4 p.m. High near 39. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Total daytime ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible. Total daytime snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday Night: Patchy fog before 1 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 33. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Parking Prohibited on Snow-Covered Roads

• Clear Snow and Ice from Vehicles Before Operating
• Residents are reminded that the Township Code prohibits parking on snow-covered roads. When snow is anticipated, use off-street parking as an alternative. Vehicles are subject to summonses and the potential of being towed at the owner's expense.
• It is necessary to have the streets accessible and free from vehicles parked on the side to allow for the plows to complete their work.
• Parking prohibitions shall remain in effect after the snow has ceased until the streets have been plowed sufficiently and to the extent that parking will not interfere with the normal flow of traffic.
• Additionally, residents are reminded that there are motor vehicle statutes that require all snow and ice to be cleared from a vehicle before operating said vehicle on the roadway. This is to avoid flying ice and snow, which can potentially cause visibility problems for other drivers.
• Snow should not be shoveled, thrown nor deposited in the roadway from sidewalks and driveways. When clearing sidewalks and driveways, please pile snow on the side of the driveway and do not throw it in the street.

A Message from Hillsborough Township DPW

Hillsborough DPW is asking residents to help make the clean-up of every snowfall a successful one. As a guideline, if there is snow on the roadway please remove all vehicles and any other obstructions such as trash cans, basketball hoops, recycling bins, etc. Also please don't plow snow into the roadway.

Winter Storm Reminders

• In the event you experience a loss of power, please contact your power company directly and report the outage. Do not assume that the outage has already been reported. JCP&L: 888-544-4877 and PSE&G 800-436-7734.
• Do not touch or attempt to move downed power lines.
• Do not operate generators inside your residence nor your garage; use only outdoors.
• If you are using candles, please ensure they are not placed by any flammable material and remain attended to while lit. Please extinguish candles when leaving a room.
• If using space heaters, ensure they are placed in a safe location away from flammable materials and walls.
• 911 is for Emergency use only. For non emergencies, please call 908-369-4323.
• On street parking is prohibited during the storm.
• All residents are encouraged to remain at home, but if you need to venture out, please allow extra travel time.
• Do not place trash cans or recycling cans out until the plows have passed. If you must put them out, place them well back from the curb line so the plows or projected snow does not hit them. Remove empty cans as soon as possible.

Power Outages - Additional Information

Sudden power outages can be frustrating and troublesome, especially when they last a long time. If a power outage is 2 hours or less, you need not be concerned about losing your perishable foods. For prolonged power outages, there are steps you can take to keep all members of your household as safe and comfortable as possible.

To report Power issues:

• PSE&G: 1-800-436-7734 www.pseg.com (Outages & Leaks page)
• JCP&L: 1-888-544-4877 https://www.firstenergycorp.com/outages_help/Report_Power_Outages.html

Precautions to take if you should lose power:

• Use caution if using candles. Do not leave unattended!
• Keep away from downed power lines
• Leave one light switch on to indicate when power is restored
• Unplug all motor-driven appliances like refrigerators and freezers and sensitive electronic equipment (like TVs, microwaves, and computers) to prevent a possible electrical overload when power is restored.
• Remember, electric well and sump pumps will not operate.

Some basic things every household should have on hand in case the power goes out:

• Flashlights
• Extra batteries
• Battery-powered radio or television
• Hard-wired telephone
• Charged cell phone
• Ice chest to store medications
• If you have a well with an electric pump, you should have enough bottled water to last a couple of days.

If a portable generator is used to provide power during an outage, use it properly:

• A generator should only be used outside on stable ground and away from any windows and vents to prevent deadly fumes from entering the home through an opening.
• Do not use a generator in close proximity to an enclosed area, its placement could allow CO to enter and build up in occupied spaces.
• Make sure a generator has 3 to 4 feet of clear space on all sides and above it to ensure adequate ventilation.
• Do not connect a generator directly to home wiring. Power can flow out of your home into the electric system creating a hazard for utility crews working in the area. Home appliances must be connected to the portable generator via extension cords unless the home is equipped with an electrician installed transfer switch.
• Never fill the generator with fuel while it is running or still hot
• Don't store gasoline inside of the home or in an attached garage.
• Do not use all appliances at once. It may be necessary to turn off some appliances to avoid overload. And make sure any connected appliances are off before starting the generator.

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