Power Outage At West Orange School Amid Storm: 'Everyone Is Safe'

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A West Orange school was left without power on Monday after parts of New Jersey were walloped by rainy weather.

The power outage hit Liberty Middle School hard, leaving classrooms and other portions of the building without electricity, administrators said.

"We are currently maintaining the students and staff in the cafeteria and in the gymnasium ... everyone is safe," district officials said Monday morning.

West Orange school officials added:

"PSEG will be reporting to the building to assess and repair the situation. At moment there is no phone access other than cell via staff. Please be patient as we remedy this situation. Bathrooms are available and we are making plans for cold lunches if necessary. We will post an update regarding the status of the building as we hope to restore power as soon as possible."

School officials gave an update on the situation at 10:24 a.m.:

"PSEG has assessed the situation and provided an estimate of fully restored power for the building by 11:30 a.m. today. Our students and staff are safe and lunch is being served."

Another update was provided at 12:45 p.m.:

"PSEG has been diligently working to resolve the issue but, at this time, they have not been able to restore power to the entire building. While some spaces function, and students and staff remain safe, the school administration has determined that the students will be dismissed promptly at 2:53pm and all after school activities for Liberty Middle School students have been cancelled for today. Thank you."

Want to get local weather updates in West Orange? Sign up for free Patch West Orange email news alerts here.

FLOODING IN ESSEX COUNTY

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook and a Flood Watch that will remain in effect in the Essex County region until 5 p.m.

A flash flood warning for Essex County hinted at the potential dangers for drivers and people who live in areas prone to flooding:

“Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low-lying spots.”

Weather forecasters said it was "likely" that rivers and streams in North Jersey may flood during the coastal storm. Read More: 'Flood Outlook' Map Says North Jersey Rivers 'Likely' To Flood

According to the NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, water levels at two nearby rivers have risen above their typical ranges as of Monday.

The Third River at Bloomfield was at 6.22 feet at 8:05 a.m. The flood stage is 6 feet.

Meanwhile, the Peckman River at Verona was at 3.53 feet at 7:40 a.m. The flood stage is 3.5 feet.

WEST ORANGE WEATHER FORECAST

Here’s this week’s weather forecast for West Orange as of Monday morning, according to the NWS:

Today: Rain, mainly before 1pm. Temperature falling to around 51 by 1pm. South wind 9 to 18 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. Southwest wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 43. Northwest wind 10 to 13 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 45.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch West Orange Facebook page.