MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — After a massive storm chewed its way through Morris County on Friday, thousands are without power as major damage is still being repaired.
On Friday evening, while already in an extreme heat warning, New Jersey experienced a rapid and intense storm. Areas in Morris County saw wind gusts of more than 60 mph and quarter-sized hail.
The storm left the county practically devastated by the morning of Independence Day. Wires and trees filled streets, limiting travel, and nearly 70,000 Morris County residents were without power.
Morris County safety officials called Saturday morning’s cleanup an “all-hands-on-deck effort.”
“It continues to be an all-hands-on-deck effort as Morris County crews work tirelessly to clear the aftermath of the recent severe storms,” a Morris County Office of Emergency Management statement read. “We appreciate the dedication, professionalism, and teamwork of these crews, who continue working in challenging conditions to keep our residents safe.
We also thank our residents for their patience as cleanup operations continue throughout the county. Please continue to use caution when traveling, obey temporary road closures, and never approach downed power lines or storm-damaged trees.”
Saturday night, however, had other plans, as another storm rolled in, bringing more wind, flooding, hail, and chaos to parts of Morris County.
As of Monday morning, more than 14,000 Morris County customers were without power. Some particularly affected areas include Mendham, Chester, Morris Plains, and Parsippany.
On Sunday night, Governor Mikie Sherrill visited the Morris County Office of Emergency Management and Jersey Central Power & Light’s staging operation in Morris County to assess the situation.
"My Administration is in constant communication with our utility partners to ensure they are working to restore service as quickly and safely as possible. I know many communities were hit hard, and we’re committed to helping them recover," Sherrill said. "But this weather isn’t over yet. Heavy rain and the threat of flooding will continue today. Please monitor your local forecast, charge your devices in case of additional outages, never drive through flooded roadways, and stay safe."
Click here to report an outage and to see expected restoration times from FirstEnergy Corp. Some customers' power may not be restored until Thursday.
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