Snowstorms brought the state of New Jersey to a standstill on Thursday, November 17. The use of major highways, bridges and transport facilities was severely disrupted. Daily commuters were left stranded.
Roadways
- Interstate 280 was lined with cars as bumper to bumper traffic clogged the entire highway.
- Although no serious injuries have been noted, more than 550 accidents were registered.
- The State Police Department received more than 1000 rescue calls for people stuck on the road for hours on end.
- Heavy snows later gave way to flooded roads as the snow began to thaw.
- Traffic across the city of Newark was completely halted and people were stuck for hours inside their vehicles.
- Major roadways that have been closed include I-95 express, Interstate 280, 78, 21 and 22.
- The Port Authority Bus Terminal had to suspend operations.
Educational Institutions
- Educational Institutions in the region will open late on Friday owing to extreme weather and hazardous conditions.
- Many students were stuck at school on Thursday until as late as 9 pm in the evening. Buses taking students home had to return to school premises after encountering impassable traffic.
- Buses in Leonia and West Orange were able to drop off some students only as late as 8 pm in evening owing to severe traffic. Some even took detours to stop at diners so the children could get something to eat while waiting for traffic to slacken.
Air Traffic
- Hundreds of flights had to be cancelled or rescheduled. Transit passengers at the Newark Airport were stuck indefinitely at the airport.
- Airport personnel tried their level best to accommodate the transit passengers with makeshift arrangements.
- There was a hectic rush as hoards of people waited long hours to board the Air Train to get back to New York.
- Incoming passengers were also left without any options or alternatives as all transport systems in the city of Newark had been rendered non-functional.
Weather
- Morris County registered the maximum amount of snow – more than 7 inches.
- Fortunately, the weather is expected to clear substantially by Friday, with a few light showers and slightly misty conditions.
- Most of the snow is expected to dissolve during the day thanks to brief spells of sunshine with temperatures in and around 2 degrees Celsius.
- Weather is expected to get warmer over the weekend.
Snow Brings New Jersey to a Standstill