NJ Weather: Stay off the roads as nor'easter pummels Shore

Along the Jersey Shore for most of Wednesday, the powerful nor’easter predicted — the fourth in three weeks — seemed like a bust.

Forecasters had expected 12 to 18 inches of snowfall across the region. A worst-case scenario earlier in the day had even warned that Monmouth County and northern Ocean County could see as much as 2 feet of accumulation.

When the afternoon came and little or no snow had yet appeared, the National Weather Service in Mount Holly downgraded its snow totals to 8 to 12 inches.

As the sun set over the Shore, the snowfall significantly intensified and thundersnow was even reported over southern Ocean County.

“Things are not good right now,” said Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy at about 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The sheriff was on patrol, passing through South Toms River on the Garden State Parkway and conditions had become extremely hazardous.

The storm had brought down electrical wires in Pine Beach, Beachwood, Manchester, Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor — causing sporadic power outages throughout the county, Mastronardy said.

Jersey Central Power & Light reported that there were 2,291 customers without power in Ocean County and just 35 in Monmouth County as of 9:50 p.m. Wednesday.

Atlantic City Electric, which serves parts of southern Ocean County, also reported more than 2,000 customers without power as of the same time.

While the full impact of the storm would not be known until Thursday morning, the snow was expected to continue to fall until as late as 5 a.m. — with 4 to 8 inches of accumulation expected over the region by then, according to the weather service.

The low temperature overnight was expected to hold at 31 degrees, with a north wind blowing at a speed of 13 to 16 miles per hour which would make the air feel like about 20 degrees outside.

Nevertheless, Steven DiMartino, meteorologist with NY NJ PA Weather, called the storm “a bust” given the severity of the NWS’ forecast a day earlier. On Wednesday, DiMartino said he would predict a total of 4 to 8 inches of snowfal after the storm passed, with some isolated spots seeing up to a foot. Winds would still be an issue, as well as coastal flooding.

“I just don’t see for the entire region — all of central New Jersey — to be over 12 inches,” DiMartino said. “Certainly not 18 inches.”

In order for 12 to 18 inches of snow to collect, DiMartino said the snow would have needed to have fallen at 3 inches per hour starting on Wednesday afternoon.

That didn’t happen.

“Nowhere close,” DiMartino said.

In a late night email from his office, Gov. Phil Murphy declared that all state offices would be open on Thursday and all public employees should arrive at their regularly scheduled reporting time.

In Belmar, Mayor Matt Doherty said there were no major problems in his coastal town and that crews from the borough's Department Public Works would be out all night plowing the municipal roadways.

"With another shift coming in at 4 a.m," Doherty said.

At 9:35 p.m., New Jersey State Police Col. Patrick J. Callahan announced that the ban on commercial vehicle travel would be lifted at midnight.

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Murphy declared a state of emergency Tuesday night, commercial vehicles had been banned from interstate highways.

Statewide, public agencies and schools announced closures Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.

The New Jersey State Police banned overnight travel by commercial vehicles on Interstate 78, Interstate 80, Interstate 280 and Interstate 287, including tractor trailers, trucks, passenger vehicles with trailers, recreational vehicles and motorcycles.

And while police cautioned New Jerseyans to avoid travel if at all possible, their warning apparently didn’t stick: According to a tweet, the New Jersey State Police responded to 27 motor vehicle crashes and 62 motorist aids, including flat tires, breakdowns and spin outs, between midnight and 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The Garden State Parkway was mostly clear early Wednesday morning, but by 9 a.m. the New Jersey Turnpike Authority imposed a 45-mph speed restriction along the entire length. The New Jersey Turnpike had restrictions as well, 50 mph below Interchange 6 and 45 mph above.

There was also a 30-mph speed restriction on the Outerbridge Crossing.

All NJ Transit bus service, including rides to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, ceased at 3 p.m. NJ Transit trains will continue operating on a severe weather schedule (riders are encouraged to check their timetables) but trains between Newark and New York were experiencing 20-minute delays Wednesday afternoon, due to an “Amtrak signal problem.”

Fares would be cross-honored across all NJ Transit trains, buses and light rail, as well as private bus carriers and PATH trains.

The Freehold Raceway Mall closed at 2 p.m. Wednesday and was scheduled to reopen at 10 a.m. today. Lord & Taylor also closed at 2 p.m. while Macy’s and Primark closed at 3 p.m. Brio Tuscan Grille also closed, as did AMC Theaters.

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NJ Transit buses and trains are expected to operate on a regular weekday schedule Thursday, though the agency cautioned that delays and cancellations should be expected "due to the residual effects of the storm."

The announcement comes after NJ Transit canceled all afternoon bus service, including rides to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and operated its trains on a severe weather schedule with infrequent departures.

No fares will be cross-honored on Thursday. Riders should build extra travel time into their schedules and check individual timetables for their train or bus route.

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