NJ Nor'easter: 26" Of Snow, 300K Lose Power, Many Downed Wires

UPDATE: NJ Nor'easter Aftermath: 200K Lose Power, 'Stay Away From Wires'

The "unprecedented" nor'easter snow left a lot of damage in its path on Wednesday and early Thursday, with more than 2 feet of snow falling in some spots, a countless number downed trees and wires and more than 300,000 without power. Some towns virtually shut down because of road conditions and downed wires.

And slippery surfaces continue to cause a number of problems and accidents on New Jersey highways and roads (see below). State Police officers have responded to 506 motor vehicle crashes and 939 motorist aids since midnight Tuesday. Aids can be anything from mechanical breakdowns, spin outs, flat tires, etc.

I-287 was virtually shut down in some sections early Thursday. Montville police warned drivers to "AVOID Route 287 north: closed Montville to Rt.23 All local roads are still not cleared of snow & debris. Avoid travel."

"Montville Police urge you to stay off the roads. Conditions are not safe Many roadways are still impassable due to trees and power lines in the roadway. Crews are working to clear debris but are severely hampered by amount of snow and fallen debris. many areas still have no power and businesses are closed."

And several were hurt during episodes of "thundersnow," including a Manchester teacher who was struck by lightning while holding his umbrella (see below).

More than 500 schools have already canceled for Thursday since many towns don't even have accessible roads to get kids to school. One of the big fears: Tree branches stressed by heavy snow snapping off and landing on the street. Read more: New Jersey School Closings/Delays List - 3/8/18

Some scoffed at the early predictions of 2 feet of snow. But many towns matched that, and more. Read more here: New Jersey Snow Totals, Town-By-Town - 3/8/18

More than people were without power as Jersey Central Power & Light promised to work to restore electricity as soon as roads were clear of snow and downed wires. JCP&L said it had to essentially drop restoration work that followed the destructive Friday nor'easter (see the areas affected below).

In some towns, authorities described the conditions as "horrible." In West Windsor: "Patrols are reporting unsafe travel conditions with a sub layer of ice below the snow layer. Reports are starting to come in with trees across the roadway. As the heavy snow continues to fall, trees will start breaking." Read more here: Nor'easter Virtually Shuts Down NJ Towns

"The worst of the storm is yet to hit, so stay home if you can. If you must venture out, remember to #SlowYourRoll and drive carefully!" the State Police said.

Northeast Corridor eastbound trains are bypassing Hamilton, Princeton Junction and Jersey Avenue stations because of to an Amtrak overhead wire problem. Customers may take a westbound train to Trenton for eastbound service.

The NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line train service has resumed between Raritan and Newark Penn Station. Train service between High Bridge and Raritan remains suspended in both directions because of trees down across the tracks.

Atlantic City Rail Line service remains suspended in both directions between Philadelphia 30th Street and Atlantic City because of signal problems.

Here are some of the outstanding problems around the state:

• Verona: "We do not recommend outdoor activities, especially with children. There are too many dangerous situations in town."
• Parsippany: Some roads are closed and others remain impassible in Parsippany in the wake of Wednesdays snow storm. As of 8:12 a.m. on Thursday, East Halsey Road between Parsippany Road and Jefferson Road is closed, as is Park Road. A number of side roads are also closed.
• Caldwell: "Please do not park on the roads as our DPW are still working to clear all of them and many of the streets are narrow as a result of the snow, downed trees/branches and utility lines. We remind everyone to never touch a downed utility line and please shovel out the fire hydrants near you. If you are going to use a generator please make sure it is a safe distance from your home. Thank you and stay safe."
• Mount Laurel: From Steve Keeley @KeeleyFox29: "Mt Laurel, Burlington County one of the hardest hit Philly suburbs. Power out here right around @mtlaurelpd & Twp Municipal building. Traffic lights out here on Mt Laurel Road. Schools here closed today, wires are down all over Twp& most houses completely dark."
• Morristown: "Multiple streets are impassable at this time due to trees and power lines being down. Travel will be difficulty as clean up continues. Heavy traffic and delays should be expected throughout town during the morning hours. It is strongly suggested downtown be avoided to facilitate clean up operations."
• Piscataway: "Large number of streets are blocked due to down wires and trees. Extensive cleanup operation is ongoing. We ask for your patience as public works crews and police work through the overnight hours. Contact @PSEGdelivers directly to report outages."
• Middlesex County: From Janet Dickerson @TheRealPRLady: "Up at 4 a.m. due to being ousted from our home last night bc of massive outages and storm damage. Just my luck to find a hotel w/ power but no WiFi. So, boredom of course."
• Livingston: "Please get off the roads and do not go out the roads are horrible cars are stuck all over trees are down all over please stay home."
• South Brunswick: Thousands of residents will go to bed without power on a cold, windy night and trees and telephone poles are down all over the Township. That's not to mention the dozens of accidents that have occurred on South Brunswick roadways. Rt. 1, Rt. 27 and Rt. 522 are impassable due to fallen trees.
• Morris County: "At this time we cannot predict any additional impact this storm may have on electric service or ongoing restoration efforts, but significant snow accumulations will create additional outages and slow our work. Customers who have been out the longest are our top priority, and any new outages will be restored based on our storm process," JCP&L officials said. "We know this is extremely difficult, and we thank you all for your fortitude and support of our crews."
• Newark: "There are trees and electric wires down all over Newark. They are blocking our ability to plow those streets and creating an extremely dangerous condition."
• Jersey City: "We do our best to give residents a snapshot in time on how this works. At 7:55pm We’re plowing w/65 plows, JCFD responding to 87 wires down Citywide, 9 active EMS calls, 6 alarm activations, 2 responses for fire or smoke, 14 police calls in cue - will be a long night."
• Boonton: "Stay off roads if at all possible!!! Residents/Motorists should never go near a downed wire even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris."
• Verona: "There are numerous trees and wires down all over town. Roads are impassable. Stay away from wires! Stay indoors!"
• Mahwah: Please stay off the roads. The weight of this snow has caused many downed trees and power lines. This has made some roads impassable. We will work throughout the night and into tomorrow to recover from this extraordinary nor'easter.
• Bergen County: Traffic and power problems mounted in Bergen County and roads are becoming dangerous for local residents as the snow piles up in North Jersey.
• Essex County: Several towns reporting issues with treacherous roads, downed power lines and other transportation woes. Forecasters say since the snow is heavy and wet, it could cause widespread power outages, just days after Friday's storm knocked out electricity for thousands across the state.
• Cranford: "Hazardous conditions continue. Heavy snow is expected for several more hours. Stay off of the roads. Allow emergency services and DPW to clear the roadways. Heavy Snow will continue to cause trees and wires to fall. Stay indoors if possible. Do not approach downed wires, instead contact the Cranford Police Department at (908) 272-2222 immediately."
• Madison: "For your safety STAY INSIDE, there are numerous live power lines down. Wait until morning to shovel your driveway."

Here are the areas impacted by power outages:

JCP&L:

PSEG:

Atlantic Electric:

Here is what else you need to know:

• NJ Transit canceled bus service after 4:30 p.m. because of snow accumulation.
• The National Weather Service is reporting "thunder snow" along the New Jersey Turnpike in Central and South Jersey. Others caught video of it. Read more: VIDEO: Thundersnow In Point Pleasant Beach (And Lightning)

• Bands of very heavy snow with rates around 2 inches per hour fell across North, Central and the Philadelphia suburbs of South Jersey Wednesday afternoon and evening.
• Roads became snow-covered, resulting in very hazardous conditions.
• Visibility was significantly reduced to one quarter of a mile.
• Because of heavy wet snow sticking to trees, tree limbs may still break or some trees become uprooted especially where temperatures hover near 32 degrees. The result would be additional power outages.
• More than 650 flights scheduled for Wednesday were canceled at Newark Liberty International Airport. Check with your carrier to make sure your plane is schedule take off.
• Beach erosion and potential flooding was already becoming an increasing possibility, as shown by a Twitter video of Ortley Beach (see below)

• After getting heat for his response following the destructive Friday nor'easter, Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state-of-emergency and asked people to stay off the roads. Read more: NJ State Of Emergency: Schools Close, 50 MPH Winds
• More than 25,000 people are still without power following the Friday nor'easter that downed trees and power lines. The State Police urged residents to be prepared.
• "We understand that many of you are still without power, using generators to get by. Meteorologists expect this March snow to be heavy and wet, which could cause branches to fall, taking out power lines and causing additional power outages," according to the State Police. "Please plan accordingly now before the snow begins. As far as using generators, please make sure you use caution."
• The winter storm alerts actually expanded in New Jersey. Seventeen counties were under a winter storm warning, with Ocean and Cumberland counties under a winter weather advisory:

  Here are the road conditions as of 8 a.m. across New Jersey:

• I-78: Plowing and salting on I-78 local lanes eastbound approaching Exit 52 - Garden State Parkway in Union Twp. One to 2 lanes closed 5-10 minute delay.
• US 206: Downed tree on US 206 northbound between Mountain Ave and Princeton Ave in Princeton Twp. All lanes closed; use caution.
• NJ64: Weather-related problems on NJ 64 in both directions from CR 615/Cranbury Rd to CR 571/Washington Rd in West Windsor Twp. All lanes closed until further notice.
• NJ 168: Downed tree on NJ 168 northbound ramp to northbound I-295 in Bellmawr. Ramp closed; use caution.
• US 40: Flooding on US 40 in both directions West of Atlantic City Expressway in Egg Harbor Twp. All lanes closed and detoured.
• I-78: Accident with Injuries on I-78 express lanes westbound area of East of Exit 50 - CR 630/Vaux Hall Rd in Union Twp. All lanes closed and detoured; 20-25 minute delay.
• I-287: Disabled tractor trailer on I-287 northbound area of South of Exit 58 - US 202/Ramapo Valley Rd in Oakland. Left lane closed; 5-10 minute delay.
• NJ 68: Malfunctioning traffic light on NJ 68 in both directions at CR 537/Monmouth Rd in Springfield Twp. All lanes open to traffic; use caution.
• NJ 68: Malfunctioning traffic light on NJ 68 in both directions at CR 670/Saylors Pond Rd in Springfield Twp. All lanes open to traffic; use caution.
• NJ 42: Accident on NJ 42 northbound South of Exit 9A - CR 706/Coles Rd in Gloucester Twp. Right shoulder closed.
• NJ 27: Downed wires on NJ 27 in both directions South of CR 522/Promeade Blvd in South Brunswick Twp. All lanes closed and detoured.
• New Jersey Turnpike: Speed restriction on the New Jersey Turnpike in both directions from South of Interchange 6 - Pennsylvania Turnpike in Mansfield Twp to North of Interchange 7A - I-195 in Robbinsville; 50 miles per hour due to roadway conditions.
• NJ 19: Downed tree on NJ 19 southbound area of Garden State Parkway in Clifton. Left lane closed.
• US 206: Downed tree on US 206 in both directions between Mountain Ave and Princeton Ave in Princeton Twp. All lanes closed; use caution.
• NJ 28: Downed tree and downed wires on NJ 28 in both directions East of Warrenville Rd in Dunellen. All lanes closed and detoured.
• NJ 28: Downed tree and downed wires on NJ 28 westbound East of CR 622/Raritan Av in Middlesex. All lanes closed and detoured.
• NJ 64: Weather-related problems on NJ 64 in both directions from CR 615/Cranbury Rd to CR 571/Washington Rd in West Windsor Twp. All lanes closed until further notice.
• US 40: Flooding on US 40 in both directions west of Atlantic City Expressway in Egg Harbor Twp. All lanes closed and detoured.
• Holland Tunnel: Weather-related problems at the Holland Tunnel in both directions. All lanes subject to closed intermittently for plowing and salting operations.
• Lincoln Tunnel: Weather-related problems at the Lincoln Tunnel in both directions. All lanes subject to closed intermittently for plowing and salting operations.
• I-78: Jack-knifed tractor trailer on I-78 eastbound Exit 41 - Dale Rd to Plainfield Ave in Watchung. All lanes closed; use caution.
• NJ 28: Downed pole on NJ 28 in both directions area of CR 632/Walnut Av in Garwood. All lanes closed and detoured.
• NJ 27: Downed wires on NJ 27 in both directions south of CR 522/Promeade Blvd in South Brunswick Twp. All lanes closed and detoured.
• NJ 68: Malfunctioning traffic light on NJ 68 in both directions at CR 537/Monmouth Rd in Springfield Twp. All lanes open to traffic use caution.
• NJ 23: Downed wires on NJ 23 in both directions area of South of CR 660/Newark Pompton Turnpike in Pequannock Twp. All lanes closed and detoured.
• NJ 68: Malfunctioning traffic light on NJ 68 in both directions at CR 670/Saylors Pond Rd in Springfield Twp. All lanes open to traffic; use caution.
• Goethals Bridge: Speed restriction on the Goethals Bridge in both directions from New Jersey side in Elizabeth to New York side in Staten Island of 30 miles per hour due to long term construction.
• US 206 : Downed tree on US 206 southbound south of CR 536/Chews Rd in Hammonton. Traffic shift; use caution.
• NJ 27: Downed tree on NJ 27 in both directions at Harrison St in Princeton Twp. All lanes closed and detoured; use caution.
• NJ 34 As of 8:40pm, there's a Downed tree on NJ 34 northbound North of Schank Rd in Holmdel Twp. All lanes remain closed; use caution.
• NJ 70: Downed tree on NJ 70 westbound west of Four Mile Circle in Southampton Twp. 1 lane may be closed; use caution.
• US 206: Downed tree on US 206 southbound North of Atsion Lake/Park Entrance in Shamong Twp. Traffic shift; use caution.
• I-295: Downed tree on I-295 southbound ramp to Exit 24 - NJ 45 in West Deptford Twp. Ramp closed; use caution.
• US 206: Downed tree on US 206 southbound at Province Line Rd in Lawrence Twp. All lanes remain closed use caution, use caution.
• Fort Lee Road: Weather-related problems on Fort Lee Road in both directions between New Jersey Turnpike in Leonia and US 46 in Fort Lee. All lanes closed.
• US 46: Downed tree on US 46 eastbound West of CR 649/Netcong Rd in Mount Olive Twp. Ramp closed and detoured.
• I-78: Downed tree on I-78 westbound ramp to Exit 43 - CR 655/Diamond Hill Rd in Berkeley Heights Twp. Ramp closed and detoured.
• I-80: Downed tree on I-80 eastbound ramp to Exit 57 - NJ 19 in Paterson. Partial lane closed.
• NJ 17: Downed tree on NJ 17 northbound North of Allendale Av in Saddle River. Ramp closed and detoured.
• NJ 208: Downed tree on NJ 208 in both directions area of Grandview Av in Wyckoff. All lanes closed and detoured.
• Outerbridge Crossing: Falling ice on the Outerbridge Crossing in both directions from New Jersey Side in Perth Amboy to New York Side in Staten Island. All lanes closed.
• I-80: Jack-knifed tractor trailer on I-80 westbound East of Exit 47A - I-280 in Montville Twp. All lanes closed 10 minute delay.
• NJ 73: Downed wires on NJ 73 southbound at US 130 in Pennsauken Twp. Right lane remains closed use caution.
• NJ 35: Water main break on NJ 35 southbound South of NJ 88 in Point Pleasant Beach. All lanes remain closed use caution.
• US 130: Downed wires on US 130 southbound ramp to NJ 44 in Logan Twp. Ramp closed and detoured use caution.
• NJ 94: Downed wires on NJ 94 in both directions at CR 521/Stillwater Rd in Blairstown Twp. All lanes closed and detoured.
• NJ 27: Downed wires on NJ 27 in both directions South of CR 522/Promeade Blvd in South Brunswick Twp. All lanes closed and detoured.
• A student at Rider University was hit by a snow plow on campus Wednesday afternoon, University Spokeswoman Kristine Brown confirmed. The unnamed student was hit by the plow at about 2 p.m., and has been transported to the hospital, Brown said in an email.
• A pickup truck who was following too closely crashed into the back of a snow plow truck on the Garden State Parkway, the State Police reported. And a salt truck reportedly overturned on the New Jersey Turnpike Wednesday morning.
• Bayonne police and fire and McCabe Ambulance are on scene of a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of 30th Street and Broadway involving an overturned vehicle.

• A man also was injured after he crashed into the back of a salt truck on the Garden State Parkway in North Jersey on Wednesday morning, State Police said.
• A Ridgewood 4-year-old was found wandering the street during the snowstorm looking for her parents Wednesday, police said. Police received a call at about 9:40 a.m. about a child walking near an apartment complex on Maple Avenue, said Chief Jacqueline Luthcke.
• Traffic problems are starting to mount and roads are becoming dangerous for local residents as the snow piles up in Bergen County. Roads are already covered with snow and the storm is forecast to last for several hours. Forecasters say since it is a heavy, wet snow, it could cause widespread power outages just days after Friday's storm knocked out electricity for thousands.

Photos courtesy of KYW660, Helena Mitchell and Rose‏ @rosew1719