Planet Princeton Saturday Morning Storm Update for Jan. 23

Witherspoon Street Friday night at 11 p.m.
Witherspoon Street Friday night at 11 p.m.

Good morning. Thanks for checking back for the latest storm updates. The dangerous winter storm will continue today and tonight. Snow will be heavy at times and there will be blowing snow, creating unsafe driving conditions and the potential for more power outages, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

Some residents in the Princeton area have reported receiving more than eight or nine inches of snow so far. Wind gusts as high as 45 miles per hour are possible today. Total daytime snow accumulations of 9 to 13 inches are possible for the Mercer County area, according to the National Weather Service.

The snow is expected to stop around midnight. In the evening, winds could gust as high as 41 miles per hour. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches is possible.

As of 9 a.m. Saturday, there were no reports of power outages in the Mercer County area. More than 80,000 people in the state are without power this morning, mostly in or near Atlantic City and in the northern part of the state.

Police in several Mercer County towns report that roads are horrible. Crews have been out plowing and continue to do so. Police ask that you not call to check to find out when your street will be plowed. In other words, stay home.

NJ Transit bus, train, and lightrail service is suspended until further notice.

Because the wind is picking up, prepare for the possibility of power outages. Keep all of your electronic devices charged.

From the West Windsor Police Department: “Please try and not travel. Everything is closed. You will get stuck and hidden ice will make the best SUV slide off the road…Crews are out. Olaf snow report is snow snow and snow. Elsa is no longer allowed to have coffee as she is out of control. ”

Keep pets inside with you. A tip from the West Windsor police: To make your life easier, place a tarp over the area you are clearing for your pet. Secure it with snow on the corners. Then when it fills up again, just pull the tarp off and the area is clear.

If you have a fire hydrant in front of your house, clear the snow around it. It can save your house and your life.

The Governor: “I’ve authorized state officials to continue all necessary actions, and we will monitor conditions throughout the remainder of the storm. I encourage all New Jerseyans to drive carefully and remain off the roads if possible so that our first responders and public safety officials can safely respond to any emergency situations.” In other words, stay home.

Small World Coffee, one of the first Princeton businesses to re-open after Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy, is open this morning to serve in town customers who can walk there. Local employees who lived a few blocks away walked to both locations so the shops could open. The Nassau Street location will be open until 11 a.m. The Witherspoon Street location will be open until the afternoon. The shops will then be closed because of the weather.

We do not know of any other openings in Princeton today. It’s a day to stay home and relax with a good book or a movie, and a glass of wine (or two) or hot cocoa. In case you missed our list of weekend event cancellations, here it is. We will update the list later in the day and on Sunday.

Send your weather information, event cancellations and snow pictures to editor@planetprinceton.com. Thanks for reading. Stay safe and warm this weekend.