Winter Weather, Baby Set on Fire, Princeton Student Found Dead: January 2015 on Patch

Starting Sunday, Dec. 20, we will debut our “12 days of 2015 on Patch” by looking at New Jersey Patch’s top 10 stories of each month in 2015.

First up is January, where winter weather dominated headlines.

Here’s a look at the top 10 stories on Patch sites across New Jersey during January 2015:

1. ‘Historic’ Two-Day Snowstorm, Nor’easter, With 50-mph Winds, To Strike Northeast

Forecasters and authorities said a snowstorm in late January would be a blizzard that could produce “historic” results, and dump more than two feet on from Virginia north to Maine.

2. Baby Dies After Allegedly ‘Set On Fire’ On South Jersey Road

A newborn baby was found burning on a road after a woman allegedly doused the child in a flammable liquid.

3. Critics Pounce On Christie, Forecasters For Blizzard Hype

More critics have been piling on Gov. Chris Christie, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and forecasters Wednesday for issuing travel bans, making false predictions or taking other strong steps in response to a blizzard-that-wasn’t.

4. Nutley Woman, Man Identified In Murder-Suicide

A Nutley man and woman were killed in a murder-suicide in January.

5. Christie Reportedly Pushed Port Authority To Give Contract To Dallas Cowboys Owner’s Firm

Governor Chris Christie and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may have more than football in common.

6. Real Housewives Of New Jersey Star Going To Prison On Monday

Teresa Giudice reportedly told her two youngest daughters she is going away for research, telling them she is going to work on a book.

7. Princeton University Student Found Dead in Dorm Room Two Days Before Exams

Audrey Dantzlerward, 22, a “proud feminist” and member of the class of 2016, was found in her campus residence. No foul play is suspected.

8. Winter Storm Iola To Slam New Jersey Saturday

Winter Storm Iola and its rain and snow made an appearance days after Sunday’s ice storm and Wednesday’s dusting.

9. Video Shows Truck Crash, Nearly Flip On New Jersey Turnpike

A video shows a tractor-trailer crashing over a guard rail and then nearly flipping at the New Brunswick exit on the New Jersey Turnpike.

10. Explosions Rock Red Bank; 260 Homes Lose Power

Underground explosions prompted officials to evacuate downtown buildings in Red Bank