N.J. Storm Updates: Snow Totals, More Coastal Flooding, N.Y. Bridges Reopen - Jan 25. 2016

Nearly three feet of snow fell in New Jersey this weekend as the state endured a blizzard that shut down NJ Transit trains, caused more than 90,000 power outages, flooded roads and made highways impassable.

Police departments were describing roads as “treacherous” and telling people to stay home as state troopers handled more than 230 crashes and 1,040 motorist aids.

Bridges and tunnels to New York City reopened Sunday morning, but NJ Transit trains remained shut down while crews worked to clean the tracks.

Gov. Chris Christie said NJ Transit should be restored by noon on Sunday, and nearly 20,000 power outages remained, mostly in Cape May County. He said 90 percent of those outages should be fixed by the end of the day.

“To all the folks of N.J. thank you,” Christie said during a Sunday press conference. ”To the people of the state, please enjoy the beautiful day.”

One person died in a possibly storm-related carbon monoxide incident in New Jersey.

Plows were also cleaning the runways at Newark Liberty International Airport Sunday (Port Athority see photo) which remained open, even though hundreds of flights were canceled. (Check here for flight information).

A state of emergency has been declared in New Jersey as residents continue to endure a battering from a massive storm has brought blizzard conditions and about two foot of snow.

ALSO:

• Snow amounts have been posted, with nearly a foot falling over many areas of N.J. by early Saturday. Read more on snow amounts here.
• School closings/cancellations: Some school districts have already cancelled for Monday as the region digs out, and a number of activities were canceled Sunday. Read more on school closings here..
• PHOTOS: Flooding, Blizzard, Storm Damage in N.J.: Some streets in Atlantic City, North Wildwood and elsewhere have turned into streams. Read more on NJ. flooding here.
• WATCH: N.J. Blizzard Causes Widespread Flooding: Videos captured the impacts as some roads turned into rivers. LBI remained underwater on Sunday. Read more on Barnegat flooding, LBI flooding, Cape May County flooding here.
• Power Restorations Continue; Travel Restrictions Remain In South Jersey: About half the Atlantic City Electric customers in Atlantic and Cape May counties who were without power on Saturday had their power restored by Sunday morning. Read on more..
• Sailboat Caught In Power Lines Causes Outages In Belmar: Manasquan-Belmar, NJ - A sailboat that got caught in power lines prompted outages during the blizzard Saturday in Belmar, Mayor Matt Doherty said. Read more on Belmar sailboat here...
• Roof Collapse Reported At Westfield Trader Joe’s: The roof at the Trader Joe’s store in Westfield has reportedly collapsed during the blizzard. Read more on Westfield Trader Joe’s here..
• How to Prevent and Deal With Frozen Pipes: One big headache that can accompany snow and single-digit temperatures is frozen water pipes in unheated basements and crawl spaces of local homes. Read more frozen pipes here.
• All flights at Philadelphia International Airport were canceled for Saturday ahead of the looming blizzard, and a state-of-emergency was declared in Pennsylvania.
• All major airlines have issued waivers for travel allowing passengers to rebook other flights to avoid the storms, and American Airlines has canceled the bulk of its flights in the Northeast ahead of the storm.

Click here to stay up-to-date on storm developments by subscribing to your local Patch emails.

Here is a video showing the blizzard as it hit Route 1 in South Brunswick early Saturday, courtesy of Arza Baig:

The first flakes arrived in South Jersey around 6 p.m. Friday as some evacuations - voluntary and involuntary - were underway, and Christie returned to the state from the New Hampshire campaign trail.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning early Friday, warning of reduced visibility with whiteout conditions that will make for dangerous roads. Snow accumulation predictions were also increased Friday. The National Weather Service now says as much as 22 inches could fall during the 36-hour storm.

“Do not travel. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle and wait for help to arrive,” the National Weather Service warns.

From the campaign trail in New Hampshire, Christie, who first said he did not believe he would head home, changed his mind.

“I’m sorry, NH but I gotta go home - we got snow coming. #Jonas,” he wrote on Twitter.

”I want to make sure the people of my state feel safe and secure,” he wrote in a reversal after making a passionate defense for staying in New Hampshire when the storm hit.

“But I will be back, because I am able to do both things. The fact is - you are never not the governor,” he wrote on Twitter, saying he plans to hold a press conference around 8 p.m.

The weather service, meanwhile warned that the storm’s intensity would make traveling a chore if not impossible.

“Be where you want to be BEFORE the snow starts & be prepared to stay there for 48 hours,” Gary Szatkowski, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said on Twitter.

The NWS is warning New Jersey that the “potentially paralyzing” storm could impact 50 million people in the Northeast and grind the region’s transportation system to a halt.

The Port Authority, meanwhile, says it has taken significant measures to ensure safe, efficient operations at its airports, tunnels, bridges and PATH system throughout the winter event.

Operations personnel will work 12-hour shifts to ensure that facilities can be operated safely. The airports, bridges, tunnels and PATH also have snow desks where key personnel analyze weather reports and deploy staff and equipment.

Thousands of flights around the country, and especially in the Northeast, have already been canceled.

The Port Authority also will have supplies of cots and other essential items ready to accommodate ticketed passengers who may become stranded at the airports.

The Port Authority also urges bus travelers to check with their carriers before going to the bus terminals since many public and private carriers may cancel service if conditions warrant. The agency also may impose speed restrictions on its crossings, or close them entirely, if weather conditions warrant.

The Port Authority has the following winter weather equipment and supplies ready at its major transportation facilities:

• More than 200 pieces of snow equipment at its airports, including melters that can liquefy up to 500 tons of snow an hour and plows that can clear snow at 40 mph;
• More than 60 pieces of snow equipment at its bridges and tunnels, including nearly two dozen plows and spreaders at the George Washington Bridge, the world’s busiest vehicular crossing;
• Thousands of tons of salt and sand for airport roads and parking lots, plus thousands of tons of salt for the bridges and tunnels;
• Hundreds of thousands of gallons of liquid anti-icer chemicals at the airports, which prevent snow and ice from bonding to runways and taxiways, plus thousands of tons of solid de-icers, which break up snow and ice already on the ground;
• Plow-equipped trains, liquid snow-melting agent trains and a “jet engine” plow to remove snow from PATH tracks, and snow blowers, plows and spreaders to clear station entrances, roads that serve PATH’s 13 stations, and various support facilities.