Winter Storm Targets Mendham, Chester: See Latest Forecast, Preparations

MENDHAM/CHESTER, NJ — Public safety officials are hunkering down for what forecasters are expecting to be a major storm this weekend.

A shift in the weekend storm track will see most of New Jersey hit with 12 to 18 inches of snow as the threat of ice increases, according to the latest forecast.

Major impacts, including heavy snow and ice, are expected, the National Weather Service said in a Friday morning briefing.

Local officials are preparing for the storm and reminding residents of what this snowfall will entail.

Mendham

Mendham officials remind residents that they should not be parking on the street during heavy snowfall, allowing the Department of Public Works to plow.

Additionally, Mendham Township and Borough recycling collection will be canceled for Monday, Jan. 26. All recycling will be collected on Monday, Feb. 2.

Mendham Borough officials stated the following ahead of this weekend's storm:

• To avoid unnecessary shoveling, please wait to shovel sidewalks and the end of your driveway until snow has stopped and the DPW is finished plowing your road (usually a couple of hours once the snow has stopped).
• Please do not shovel or snow blow snow back into the road, this creates a dangerous situation when re-freezing.
• Residents and business owners are responsible for clearing the sidewalk on their property. This is for the safety of pedestrians and to avoid the need to walk in the street.
• It is important to call in a power outage. Crews are prioritized and dispatched according to customer facility type and a few other factors, including aggregate exposure or the total number of residential customers out in a particular area. Residents should not assume the event has been reported if they believe a neighbor called or logged the outage.
• Please try and keep your fire hydrants clear of snow to help the Fire Department in the case of an emergency.
• Keep at least one path to the entrance of your house (garage, side or front door, etc.) clear for emergency access.

Residents should also keep an eye on the websites of the Mendham Borough School District, the Mendham Township School District, and the West Morris Regional High School District for updates on delays and closures come Monday.

Mendham Township residents brave enough to go outside during the storm are invited to take part in a Snowman Building Contest. Folks should take a photo of their snowman and email it to dguida@mendhamtownship.org. All photos will be posted to the Mendham Township Recreation Facebook page.

The best snowman will win a free membership to Brookside Beach for the 2026 season.

Chester

Chester police are also warning residents not to park on the street during the snowfall to allow for plowing. Violators could be subject to parking tickets or towing.

Chester police recommend the following to residents this weekend:

• "Stock up on the essentials
• Charge your devices
• Park off the road so plows can do their thing
• And PLEASE… when it's all over, clear the snow off your car before driving"

Chester Township Mayor Tim Drag told residents to “buckle up,” ahead of this weekend’s storm.”

“Snow intensity will gradually decrease Sunday evening, transitioning to lighter snowfall with occasional sleet mixing in, particularly south of I-80,” the mayor said. “Additional snow is likely late Sunday night into Monday morning, with lingering snow showers possibly lasting into Monday afternoon before tapering off.”

Chester parents and students should check the Chester School District's website and the West Morris Regional High School District for updates on delays and closures come Monday.

A Code Blue has been activated in Morris County from now until the end of the day Tuesday. A Code Blue occurs when the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures reaching 32 degrees or lower.

The National Homelessness Coalition reports that around 700 people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness die from hypothermia annually in the United States each year.

Dial 211 to find a warming center in Mendham, Chester, and around Morris County, or see the list below (be sure to call ahead to learn operating hours during storm):

• Chester Borough Town Hall - Chester
• Chester Library - Chester
• Chester Township Municipal Building - Chester
• Mendham Borough Library - Mendham

More:

• Morris County Office of Temporary Assistance - Morristown
• Market Street Mission - Morristown (Single men with no psychotropic medications only.)
• Mount Kemble Firehouse - Morristown
• Morristown Town Hall - Morristown
• Harding Municipal Building - Mt. Vernon
• Victory Gardens Fire House - Dover
• Boonton Township Municipal Building - Boonton
• Boonton Warming Centers - Boonton
• Butler Police Department Community Room - Butler
• Chatham Library - Chatham
• Denville Municipal Building Community Room - Denville
• Denville Public Library - Denville
• Dover - Police Department - Dover
• East Hanover Recreation Center - East Hanover
• East Hanover Senior Center - East Hanover
• Fairchild Firehouse - Morris Plains
• Florham Park Borough Hall - Florham Park
• Florham Park First Aid Squad - Florham Park
• Florham Park Senior Center - Florham Park
• Hanover Township Community Center - Whippany
• Jefferson Township Municipal Complex - Lake Hopatcong
• Kinnelon Municipal Building - Kinnelon
• Kinnelon Public Library - Kinnelon
• Lincoln Park Borough Hall - Lincoln Park
• Long Hill Public Library - Gillette
• Mine Hill Civic Center - Mine Hill
• Montville Senior House - Montville
• Morris Plains Community Center - Morris Plains
• Morris Township Municipal Building - Convent Station
• Mount Arlington Civic Center - Mount Arlington
• Mount Olive Township Senior Center - Flanders
• Mount Olive Warming Center - Plainfield
• Mountain Lakes Public Library - Mountain Lakes
• Netcong Fire Co. #1 - Netcong
• Netcong Fire Co. #2 Hilltop - Netcong
• Netcong Municipal Building - Netcong
• Parsippany Community Center - Lake Hiawatha
• Parsippany Police Athletic League (PAL) - Parsippany
• Parsippany-Troy Hills Library Lake Hiawatha Branch - Lake Hiawatha
• Parsippany-Troy Hills Library Mount Tabor Branch - Mount Tabor
• Parsippany-Troy Hills Main Library - Parsippany
• Pequannock Senior House - Pompton Plains
• Randolph Public Library - Randolph
• Rockaway Assembly of God - Rockaway
• Rockaway Borough Library - Rockaway
• Rockaway Township Main Library Branch - Rockaway
• Rockaway Township Marcella Fire House - Rockaway
• Rockaway Township Senior Center - Rockaway
• Rockaway Township Town Hall, Police Department - Rockaway
• Rockaway Twp Green Pond Bible Chapel - Newfoundland
• Rockaway Twp Marcella Community House - Rockaway
• Roxbury Public Library - Succasunna
• Washington Township Library - Long Valley
• Washington Township Senior Center - Long Valley
• Wharton Municipal Building - Wharton
• Wharton Public Library - Wharton