Get Off The Roads Before The Storm Hits, Morris Co. Officials Say

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Spring has finally sprung in New Jersey! Well, it's spring if you're looking at your calendar. If you're looking at the weather forecaster, it still feels like winter as Morris County prepares to get hit with its fourth nor'easter in the past three weeks.

Morris County is expected to see up to 15 inches in some parts of the county, and officials are warning drivers to get off the roads before the worst of the storm hits to avoid motorists getting trapped on the roads.

"During the last storm, we found many people on the roadways when they should not have been. We had plows and emergency vehicles impacted with roadways that were impassable because of motorists that should not have been out driving. Major roadways became parking lots and we had to dedicate emergency resources to address issues that were easily avoidable," officials with the county Office of Emergency Management said.

The worst of the storm is expected to hit Wednesday afternoon into the evening, and could impact your drive home from work.

"Roads in the hilly areas may become impassable if the 1”+ per hour snowfall rates develop. Power outages are also possible. Please check the road conditions and forecast data BEFORE you make a decision to travel," officials said.

Here's the forecast the county has provided:

The forecast data suggests that scattered light to moderate snow showers will move into our area this evening and last through Wednesday morning before steadier moderate to heavy snow begins to fall. The moderate to heavy snow will last through around midnight Thursday morning, with scattered snow showers possible through 5-6 am. The heaviest snow will fall from Wednesday afternoon/evening when snowfall rates will sit at or slightly above 1” per hour. Total snow accumulations is currently forecasted as 4-8” with the possibility of 10-15” in some models.

Winds will start the day today out of the east/northeast at 7-10 mph, and then slowly speed up to 12-18 mph out of the northeast by 6 am Wednesday. Winds will blow from 14-18 mph from Wednesday morning through Thursday morning, starting from the northeast, slowly transitioning to the northwest.

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