By: Richard L. Smith
New Jersey is waking up in recovery mode following a severe storm that brought high winds, heavy rainfall, and even snow flurries to parts of North Jersey, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The aftermath has seen communities grapple with downed power lines, flooded streets, and overflowing water bodies, requiring a massive cleanup effort in some areas.
As of late Wednesday night, power utility PSE&G reported significant improvements in power restoration efforts, with the number of affected customers dropping across Bergen, Essex, and Passaic Counties.
From a peak of over 31,000 outages at 9:45 p.m., the numbers fell to 7,861 by 11:30 p.m.
Despite these efforts, thousands remained without electricity, highlighting the storm's impact.
At 4 a.m., NJ reported over 28,000 power outages statewide.
The National Weather Service had issued a wind advisory for parts of the state, including Bergen, Passaic, and Essex counties, warning of wind gusts up to 50 mph.
This advisory remained in effect until the early hours of Thursday, reflecting the continued risk posed by the weather conditions.
Incidents reported across North Jersey illustrate the storm's disruptive power:
- Newark Police were forced to close the intersection of 20th and Beverly after wind gusts downed power lines at 74 Beverly.
- Englewood Department of Public Works crews in East Palisades Avenue and South Dean Street were dispatched to fix a dangerously dangling traffic light.
- In Mountainside, a tree fell onto a building without causing injuries at 410 Summit Road.
- Rutherford experienced a fire after a tree fell on a car without serious injuries.
Though today's weather is less severe, the lingering effects of the storm continue to pose challenges, signaling a gradual return to normalcy in the days ahead.
