Princeton Winter Storm Thursday Afternoon Update

ThursupdateThe National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning beginning tonight that will last through Friday morning. Along with the snow and cold, wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour are expected to cause blowing and drifting snow. The storm warning is in effect from 6 p.m. until Friday at 1 p.m.

Central Jersey is expected to get get between 4 and 6 inches of snow, a decrease from previous predictions.

Rain is expected after 4 p.m. and will change into snow later this evening. The snow bulk of the snow is expected late Thursday night and early Friday morning.

Temperatures are expected to drop into the teens and single digits. The combination of cold temperatures and winds will create wind chills just below zero by early Friday morning. Outdoor exposure should be minimized.

The storm will affect road travel and air travel because of poor visibility and high winds. Visibility is expected to be less than half a mile at times. Blowing and drifting snow will add to the driving hazards. Car door locks may freeze locked if unattended outdoors.

The storm is predicted to affect as many as 70 million people in the Northeast, with areas of Massachusetts and Rhode Island being hit the hardest.

Montgomery Township officials have announced that  the township will open a warming center Thursday through Saturday because of the expected low temperatures. The The Otto Kaufman Community Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The center is located at 356 Skillman Road in Skillman.

Planet Princeton will provide updates about storm issues and resources as they become available. We will update our website, Facebook and Twitter pages. If you know of any issues or have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at editor@planetprinceton.com.

PSE&G is monitoring the track of the snowstorm and making emergency preparations. Depending on the severity of the storm, response times for both electric and gas emergency services may be longer than usual. As the storm gets closer, the utility will provide information about estimated restoration times.

To report downed wires or power outages, call PSE&G’s Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com.

Accumulation of ice and heavy snow may weigh down power lines and as a result cause power lines to come down. Downed wires may appear dead but should always be considered “live.” Stay away from all downed lines. Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything that it might be in contact with. Parents are urged to check for downed wires in areas where their children might play and to remind the children to stay far away from any wires. If a wire falls on a vehicle, passengers should stay in the vehicle until help arrives. To report a downed wire, call 1-800-436-PSEG and tell PSE&G the nearest cross street.

Individuals who rely on electricity to operate life-sustaining electronic equipment, such as a respirator or dialysis machine, should pre-register with PSE&G to receive priority attention in the event of an outage. To request the service, call PSE&G at 1-800-436-PSEG. They should also inform their rescue squads and fire departments of their needs, in case of emergency. Even though customers with life-sustaining equipment who have registered with PSE&G will receive priority attention during outages, they should also have emergency back-up equipment on hand, since immediate restoration cannot be guaranteed.