Snow To End

The snow will end soon across New Jersey, likely within the next two or three hours.

The power outages continues to increase with several thousand now without power. The weight of the snow and ice is really taking a huge toll on the trees and wires. We have a few things going on here as explained by the utility companies. The earlier rain helped form a coating of ice around the lines. This has allowed this wet snow to stick easier to the wires. Therefore the weight has taken them down without a falling branch or tree. Second, the snow and ice surrounding the wires can sometimes interrupt the flow of electricity and cause shorts. Finally, the trees and tree branches are coming down with the weight. I would also believe that a car could slam into a pole and that could also cause an outage. Anyhow, this snow will not be going anywhere until a few hours after sunrise, so even when the snow stops….more things could give way. The snow, as television reports have reported on, has taken these wires and has buried them. This can make it challenging for snow plow operators.

The upward-vertical motion continues to produce thunderstorms. This has now shifted a bit towards Monmouth County and New York City. Over 150 lightning strikes have been reported with this system which is absolutely impressive. These thunderstorms have produced snowfall rates of up to four inches per hour. The snowfall rates of this intensity have made it almost impossible to maintain a passable roadway in many areas. Some cloud to ground strikes were reported which even more of a rare phenomenon.

We are going to hopefully see an end to the snowfall within the next few hours. It is becoming less and less persistent in Eastern Pennsylvania and this drying trend should extend into New Jersey in the next few hours. However, I am not going to rule out a persistent band trying to linger to 4:00 a.m. in the morning, especially in Burlington, Ocean, Middlesex, and Monmouth Counties.