UPDATE: 'Dangerous' Ice Expected, 151 Accidents As Heavy Snow Blankets New Jersey's Icy Commute

Snow continued to fall late Thursday afternoon as more than 150 accidents and snow-and-ice covered roads plagued the commute home for hundreds of thousands of New Jersey drivers.

Much of that snow was expected to turn into ice Thursday night as temperatures across the state drop into the single digits.

A jack-knifed tractor-trailer on Route 287 blocked lanes in Mahwah (see picture). Minor injuries were reported, but many crashes in plenty of areas. State Police reported that there were at least 151 accidents on the state’s roads.

“Stay home or be prepared. #SlowRide,” the State Police said on its Twitter page.

The highest inch-counts were identified in the Jersey Shore and in northwestern New Jersey, where 7 inches were reported.

Gov. Chris Christie, who declared a state of emergency, authorized the state director of emergency management to activate and coordinate the preparation, response and recovery efforts for the storm.

>>Related: WEATHER ALERT: School Closings/Delays List In New Jersey For Friday

“I encourage all New Jerseyans to drive carefully and remain off the roads if possible so that our first responders and public safety officials can safely respond to any emergency situations,“ Christie said in a statement.

NJ Transit is cross-honoring all ticket holders on bus and rail, and more than 200 arriving and departing fights have been cancelled at Newark Liberty International Airport.

So far, this is happened:

• 35-mph speed restrictions on the Garden State Parkway, the Atlantic City Expressway and the New Jersey Turnpike.
• 35-mph speed restrictions on the Ben Franklin Bridge, the Betsy Ross Bridge and the Commodore Barry Bridge between New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
• An accident on the New Jersey Turnpike inner roadway southbound north of Exit 9 in East Brunswick. Left lane blocked.
• An accident on the New Jersey Turnpike inner roadway southbound at Exit 8A in Monroe. All lanes open to traffic.
• An accident and a traffic signal down on U.S. 1&9 Truck Route in Jersey City. One lane closed
• An accident on I-78 westbound west of Exit 45 in Berkeley Heights Twp. Right lane closed.
• An accident and a downed pole and downed wires on U.S. 46 westbound in Rockaway Twp. Right lane closed - use caution.

Rain throughout the day Wednesday swich over to a “steady, accumulating” snow overnight, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service.

Here are some of the inch counts:

• ATLANTIC COUNTY... ESTELL MANOR 1.7
• BURLINGTON COUNTY... MOUNT LAUREL 6.7
• CAMDEN COUNTY... VOORHEES 5.0
• CUMBERLAND COUNTY... MILLVILLE 3.0
• GLOUCESTER COUNTY... MANTUA 6.0
• HUNTERDON COUNTY... WHITEHOUSE STATION 7.0
• MERCER COUNTY... EWING TWP 6.1
• MIDDLESEX COUNTY... SOUTH PLAINFIELD 7.0
• MONMOUTH COUNTY... ABERDEEN TWP 6.0
• MORRIS COUNTY... SUCCASUNNA 6.3
• OCEAN COUNTY... JACKSON TWP 5.5
• SUSSEX COUNTY... HIGHLAND LAKES 4.7
• WARREN COUNTY... HACKETTSTOWN 5.5

The National Weather Service has moved up its “Winter Storm Warning” by four hours, now saying it took effect 7 p.m. Wednesday and lasts until 7 p.m. Thursday.

>>Related stories:

• Hour-by-Hour Forecast for Essex-Hudson County Region
• Hour-by-Hour Forecast for Morris County Region
• Hour-by-Hour Forecast For Jersey Shore
• Hour-by-Hour Forecast for Central Jersey
• Hour-by-Hour Forecast for South Jersey

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