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LIVE UPDATES: New Jersey lifts commercial vehicle travel ban, 35 mph speed restrictions

New Jersey lifts commercial vehicle travel ban, 35 mph speed restrictions

A commercial vehicle travel restriction and an emergency 35 mph speed restriction have now been lifted.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation says drivers may resume traveling at the posted speed limits.
However, state officials are urging all New Jersey residents to stay off the roadways as much as possible as cleanup from the blizzard continues.

Some NJ Transit services begin to resume as storm conditions improve

4 PM: NJ Transit says Newark Light Rail service has resumed under a Sunday schedule.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service will resume on the weekend schedule at 6 p.m.
All rail, bus and Access Link services remain suspended.
Riders are urged to monitor NJ Transit’s website for updates
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is also in the process of returning speed limits to normal on the Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.

Tens of thousands remain without power as blizzard clean-up continues

3:21 PM: Well over 100,000 customers are without power across New Jersey as clean-up from a blizzard continues.
Jersey Central Power & Light reports over 58,000 customers without power as of 3 p.m. Atlantic City Electric reports over 54,000 customers without power.
A majority of the power outages are in the southern half of the state.
Customers are urged to contact their utility companies to report any outages.
A major snowstorm brought over 2 feet of snow to parts of New Jersey.
Power Outages: PSE&G -- JCP&L -- Atlantic City Electric

New Jersey State Police lifts mandatory travel restrictions

New Jersey State Police have lifted mandatory travel restrictions that went into effect at 9 p.m. Sunday.
Officials are still urging drivers to avoid any unnecessary travel and to use extreme caution if they must be on the road.
Drivers are also urged to reduce their speed and to allow for extra time while traveling.
New Jersey Transit’s rail bus, light rail and Access Link services remain suspended. Riders are urged to monitor NJ Transit’s website for updates

Blizzard grips New Jersey with heavy snow, strong winds

Helpful resources:
Power Outages: PSE&G -- JCP&L -- Atlantic City Electric
NJ Transit Suspension: More information

Storm updates from reporters

2:49 PM: Jack Ford is checking in on the conditions on New Brunswick Avenue in Fords.
2:43 PM: Adriana Daniel is in Perth Amboy as residents attempt to dig out their vehicles left on the streets.
2:37 PM: Tom Krosnowski is in the News 12 New Jersey parking lot helping to dig out cars.
2:32 PM: Christine Queally is in Edison, checking in on the aftermath of a major blizzard.
2:21 PM: Jill Croce is out on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, checking in on the aftermath of a major blizzard.
2:19 PM: Jennifer Portorreal is in Piscataway, talking to residents about digging out after the blizzard.
12:20 PM: Jennifer Portorreal is in Piscataway, talking to essential workers and first responders about working through the blizzard.
12:40 PM: Kristie Reeter says Hoboken’s streets are covered in snow and, fortunately, there are very few drivers on the road.
12:20 PM: Jim Murdoch is reporting whiteout conditions along the Jersey Shore.
12:20 PM: Tony Caputo is reporting from Ocean County, where visibility is extremely low.
12:20 PM: Jack Ford is in Middlesex County, where he has found the GOAT of snow plowing.
12:15 AM: Amanda Eustice is in Bergen County, where some roads are in decent shape.
9:11 AM: Chris Keating is along the Raritan Center Parkway in Edison and says brutal wind is causing thousands of power outages

Eaglet hatches in Hillsborough amid thick snow and whipping winds

11:11 AM: It is the first of two eggs this season for a nesting pair of bald eagles. Click here for the full story.

Blizzard can't stop newlyweds who tied the knot in Florham Park

11:06 AM: Kevin Origoni said there was some anxiety during the day, but the venue and vendors came through, allowing the Origonis to celebrate as planned. Click here for full story.

STATE COURTS OPERATING REMOTELY TODAY


POWER OUTAGES

12:30 AM: Customers without Power Update
JCP&L - 63, 919
PSEG - 382
 AC Electric - 2,597
 Orange and Rockland - 291

Mandatory travel restriction still in effect; NJ Transit rail service remains suspended

10:47 AM: Gov. Mikie Sherrill has officially extended the state's mandatory travel restrictions until 12 p.m.. today.
The restrictions prohibit all non-exempt vehicles from traveling on state, county, municipal and interstate roadways. The New Jersey Turnpike is exempt from this restriction.
Violators may face penalties if they are caught on the roadways during this period.
The restrictions will stay in place until 7 a.m. Monday.
NJ Transit has now suspended all rail service. Bus, light rail and Access Link services were suspended at 6 p.m.
“NJ Transit will be assessing the impacts of the storm throughout the overnight on Sunday into Monday to determine when it is safe to resume service,” the agency wrote.

FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS

6:21 AM: Flight cancellations are piling up in the area due to the snowstorm. Newark Liberty Airport has hundreds of delays and nearly a dozen cancellations. JetBlue has cancelled all flights in and out of Newark until tomorrow morning. The airline says it’s for the safety of passengers and crew members. For anyone who booked a flight, JetBlue is waiving its change fees. If you're flying, check with your airline for updates

DOGGONE FUN!

6:29 AM: Star, a pup from Bayonne, loves the snow!

WATCH: Checking on conditions out in Montclair during major winter storm

11:17 PM: News 12's Jill Croce is out on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair checking in on conditions as a potential blizzard approaches New Jersey.

WATCH: Checking on conditions out in Middlesex County during major winter storm

11:17 PM: News 12's Christine Queally is checking on the conditions in Middlesex County as a major winter storm impacts New Jersey.

DoorDash temporarily suspends operations in New Jersey due to snowstorm

9:56 PM: DoorDash says it has temporarily suspended operations across New Jersey as of 9 p.m. Sunday as a major winter storm moves across the state.
The food-delivery company says that the suspension will last until at least noon on Monday.
The suspension also impacts Philadelphia.
“We’re suspending operations across impacted areas to keep our community safe. This is a serious storm — we’ll resume when it passes,” said DoorDash spokesperson Julian Crowley.
The company says it will monitor the conditions to determine when service can resume.

WATCH: Mayor Peter Curatolo speaks about snow conditions in Lacey Township

9:56 PM: Lacey Township Mayor Peter Curatolo speaks with News 12 about the snow conditions in the township. A major winter storm is impacting the New Jersey coast.

A look at the snow conditions outside News 12’s studio

9:27 PM: News 12’s Eric Landskroner is outside the News 12 studio in Edison to check on the snow conditions in the area.
Landskroner also speaks with Les – a snowplow driver who has been clearing out the roads and parking lots near the studio for the past 30 years.

JCP&L spokesman joins News 12 to discuss winter storm impacts

7:44 PM: JCP&L spokesman Chris Hoenig joins News 12 to discuss the latest impacts of this major winter storm on New Jersey and how utility crews are dealing with outages.

WATCH: Checking on conditions out in Montclair during major winter storm

7:26 PM: News 12's Jill Croce is out on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair checking in on conditions as a potential blizzard approaches New Jersey.

WATCH: Checking on conditions out in Edison during major winter storm

7:25 PM News 12's Christine Queally is checking on the conditions in Edison as a major winter storm impacts New Jersey.

NJ Transit to suspend rail service by 9 p.m.

5:30 PM: New Jersey Transit says that rail service will be suspended by 9 p.m. due to the potential blizzard impacting the state.
“Some service will end prior to 9 p.m. however no trains will begin a new trip after 9 p.m. from their origin point,” NJ Transit officials wrote in a statement.
All bus, light rail and Access Link services will be suspended at 6 p.m.
“NJ Transit will be assessing the impacts of the storm throughout the overnight on Sunday into Monday to determine when it is safe to resume service,” the agency wrote.

WATCH: Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch joins News 12

6: 14 PM: Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch joined News 12 to discuss the major winter storm impacting New Jersey.
The mayor urged residents to stay indoors and to keep their cars off the street so that crews can plow

Newark residents urged not to park in the street; City Hall to be closed Monday

5:24 PM: Newark residents are being told not to park on the street tonight as a major snowstorm moves into the state.
Double-parked cars and cars parked on streets with “No Parking When Road Is Snow Covered” signs will be towed at the owner’s expense, according to officials.
Residents who do not have a driveway to park in can park in the parking lots of various schools in the city.
Newark officials say that all city buildings, including City Hall, will be closed on Monday due to the storm. All non-emergency municipal services will also be suspended.

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS!

4:00 PM: We want to see your winter storm pictures and videos. Send them in, as long it is safe to do so, to News 12. You may see them in the show.

MONMOUTH COUNTY SHERIFF TALKS STORM PLAN

3:45 PM: News 12 talked with Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden on how they are preparing for the storm. Monmouth County has over 300 DPW crews and 200 plow vehicles.

MIDDLETOWN MAYOR DISCUSSES STORM PREP

3:20 PM: News 12’s Jack Ford spoke with the mayor of Middletown about how the city is preparing to bear the brunt of the storm, with up to 24 inches of snowfall expected.

EDISON MAYOR TALKS STORM PREP

2:40 PM: News 12's Christine Queally spoke with Edison Mayor Sam Joshi about the township's storm preparedness. Edison has over 130 crews and 85 vehicles and plows ready to be deployed, according to Mayor Joshi.

UNIVERSITY CLOSINGS

2:05 PM: Monmouth University offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 23. All classes will be conducted remotely.
Montclair State University will be fully remote on Monday, Feb. 23, due to the winter storm.

NJ TRANSIT SERVICE UPDATE

1:45 PM: NJ Transit is suspending bus, light rail and Access Link services beginning 6 p.m. Sunday. Trains are currently running but service adjustments are expected later Sunday evening.

VEOLIA WATER RELEASES BLIZZARD RESPONSE PLAN

1:27 PM: Veolia Water is preparing crews and alerting customers to resources should they lose service during the approaching blizzard. The water company serves approximately 1.1 million NJ residents.

AIRLINES ISSUE TRAVEL ADVISORIES

12:57 PM: Air India has issued a travel advisory for the Tri-State area Sunday and Monday, with all flights from New York and Newark cancelled on Monday. 
JetBlue will temporarily suspend operations at several Northeast airports during the periods listed below. Customers traveling during this time should expect significant disruptions and cancellations.
New York (JFK) February 22 at 1:00 PM – February 24 at 5:00 AM Newark (EWR) and LaGuardia (LGA) February 22 at 4:00 PM – February 24 at 5:00 AM

GOV. SHERRILL PRESS CONFERENCE

12:30 PM: Gov. Mikie Sherrill held a press conference Sunday afternoon to update the state on the major winter storm descending on New Jersey.
All 21 counties in the state are under a blizzard warning for the first time in 30 years, Sherrill said. The governor warned that this is likely to be the worst storm in New Jersey since 1996. There is a 90% likelihood of the whole state getting a foot of snow or more.
The governor said the worst is expected Sunday night into Monday morning.
"These are considerably worse conditions that we are facing," compared to the winter storm that hit the state last month, Sherrill said.
A speed restriction of 35 mph on state highways will be in effect as of 3 p.m. NJ Transit buses, Access Link and light rail trains will run until 6 p.m., when service will be suspended.
A total of 101,000 tons of salt is ready for the NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, and 350,000 tons for other state roads.
NJ Transit trains are expected to run into the evening, but will likely be suspended tonight pending a later announcement, said Sherrill.
"Don't travel tonight. It's dangerous," she said.
Power outages are also expected around the state.
"We also anticipate that wet, heavy snow will cause power outages throughout the state as branches and trees fall," said Sherrill.
State offices are closed on Monday.

HOUR-BY-HOUR WEATHER FORECAST

9:40 AM: A potentially historic snowstorm with blizzard conditions is in the forecast for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut through Monday. Isolated spots in the tri-state area could see up to 2 feet of snow. News 12 meteorologist Alex Calamia is here with an hour-by-hour forecast to show you when impacts could be at their worst and most dangerous.

Gov. Sherrill appears live on News 12, warns of life‑threatening blizzard

8:48 AM: Gov. Mikie Sherrill said New Jersey is prepared for the approaching blizzard as a state of emergency begins at noon Sunday. Sherrill said blizzard conditions are expected in all 21 counties. “We’re anticipating an incredibly dangerous storm, the likes of which we have not seen since 1996,” she said. Forecasts show two to three inches of snow an hour overnight in some areas, along with heavy, wet snow and winds up to 50 mph, especially along the coast.
Click here for the full story.

STORM RESOURCES


COMMERCIAL VEHICLE RESTRICTIONS

8:50 AM: Commercial vehicles will face travel restrictions on multiple N.J. Interstate highways starting at 3 p.m. Sunday due to a severe winter storm forecast, says NJDOT Acting Commissioner Priya Jain.

AAA warns of power outages and dangerous travel as nor’easter approaches

8:30 AM: AAA Northeast is urging drivers to stay home as snow and blizzard‑like conditions move into the Northeast late Sunday into Monday. The storm brings the possibility of power outages, and drivers are encouraged to charge phones, portable chargers and other essential items before the worst conditions arrive. Road travel may become difficult, and drivers are advised to stay off the roads during and after the storm when possible.
For more on the story, click here

8:40 AM: Mayor James Solomon says Jersey City is bracing for major winter storm


Rider University is closed Sunday and Monday, with no classes held.

NJ TRANSIT UPDATE

8:10 AM: NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri says trains and buses will keep running Sunday, but Monday's morning rush is still up in the air. No official cancellations or changes are announced yet, but that's likely to change given the storm forecast.
Here are current service changes:
  • Bus route 197 will originate and terminate at Greenwood Lake Park and Ride due to the inclement weather. NJ Transit rail will accept NJ Transit bus tickets and passes on Port Jervis Line trains to and from Harriman, Tuxedo and Sloatsburg stations. Short Line Bus will accept NJ Transit tickets and passes in Orange County.
  • Rail service (except ACRL) is operating on the Portal Cutover weekend schedule. Midtown Direct service will operate to/from PSNY with no diversion to Hoboken. No cross honoring in Hoboken.

SHARK RIVER CLOSED TO MARINE TRAFFIC

7:50 AM: The Route 71 drawbridge over the Shark River is closed to all marine traffic between Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea. The channel is being closed so the bridge can be lowered and secured ahead of the winter storm.

TIPS TO STAY SAFE WHILE SHOVELING

7:45 AM: As the region prepares for significant snowfall, safety experts are reminding residents to take simple steps to avoid injuries while clearing walkways and driveways.
Many of the most common winter injuries happen during shoveling, which can strain muscles and increase risks for people with existing health issues. Officials say a few small habits can make the process much safer.
  • Stretch before you start to reduce the chance of muscle strain.
  • Take rest breaks every few minutes, especially during heavy or wet snow.
  • Don't overexert yourself — stop immediately if you feel pain or shortness of breath.
  • Be careful when walking on snow and ice, which can be extra slippery under fresh accumulation.
  • Offer to help neighbors who may have difficulty clearing snow on their own.
  • If you have a heart condition, be extra careful and consider asking someone else to shovel for you.

7:30 AM: PSEG's tips for power outage safety:

  • Stay at least 30 feet away from downed lines
  • Create an emergency kit
  • Stock up on bottled water and nonperishable food
  • Charge your phone before the storm hits
To report or view outages, click here.