Storm Cleanup Will Take Multiple Days, Ocean City Mayor Says

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City's cleanup following Thursday morning's snow storm will take multiple days, Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian warned residents Thursday evening. He also said road conditions remain dangerous, with drifting snow combining in some places with tidal flooding.

"Clearing emergency routes and essential corridors will be the top priority," Gillian said of the Department of Public Works's cleanup efforts. "Then they will move on to other streets. I ask you to please be patient as this work gets done."

He said Public Works crews have worked all night and all day, and will continue to work until cleanup is complete. He also reiterated his earlier plea for residents to stay home.

"I ask everybody to stay off the roads, stay home and stay warm," Gillian said. "Many of the drivers who have ventured out are now stuck in different places throughout town, making the cleanup even harder."

For those who do venture out, the police and fire departments are equipped with vehicles that can reach any location in town quickly, Gillian said. But anyone who ventures out faces tough conditions.

Conditions on Thursday included wind gusts of 47 mph, according to the National Weather Service. It was the second strongest gust reported in Cape May County after a snow storm struck the region early Thursday morning. Gusts of up to 50 mph were reported in Cape May. Gusts of 53 mph have been reported at Altantic City International Airport.

In addition to the wind gusts, over 6 inches of snow fell on Ocean City, according to snow totals posted by the National Weather Service. There was also street flooding at high tide, and that water is likely to freeze as temperatures drop overnight.

"This evening’s tide is not expected to be as high, but residents should monitor conditions in the hours around 10:18 p.m.," Gillian said.

The municipal court and all schools were closed on Thursday, and were set to be closed again on Friday. The Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center and the Ocean City Free Public Library will remain closed until further notice.

There will be no trash, recycling or yard waste collection on Thursday. Residences normally scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday pickup will be collected on Friday. Friday pickup will be on Saturday. The full breakdown is provided below. For further information, call Public Works at 399-6111, ext. 9710.

• Thursday, Jan 4: No pickup due to the coastal storm
• Friday, Jan. 5: So. Side of 9th St. to No. Side of 17th St. (normally Wednesdays) and So. Side of 3rd St. to No. Side of 9th St. (normally Thursdays).
• Saturday, Jan. 6: Longport Bridge to No. Side of 3rd St.

"High winds and extreme cold will continue tomorrow and through the weekend," Gillian said. "Please check on your neighbors and on neighboring properties, if possible. There’s a great risk of frozen pipes, and thermostat settings in unoccupied homes should be above 60 degrees."

There have only been a few brief and scattered power outages. Anyone who experiences a prolonged outage should call the following numbers:

• Atlantic City Electric: 800-833-7476
• South Jersey Gas: 888-766-9900
• Comcast Cable: 800-COMCAST (800-266-2278)
• New Jersey American Water: 800-272-1325

For police and fire department emergencies, call 911. For non-emergencies, call police at 609-399-9111 or City Hall at 609-399-6111.

See related: New Jersey School Closings/Delays List- 1/4/18

See related: Blizzard Warning In Effect For Ocean City

Patch file photo