By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
While township residents are still recovering from the effects of the blizzard that occurred in late December, another storm Tuesday night dumped more snow on the region.
Police said that they received 50 calls for assistance during the storm, and that there were 12 motor vehicle accidents and assists by police that resulted in no injuries.
“It appears the majority of people heeded early warnings and stayed off the road,” Chief Raymond Hayducka said in a statement Wednesday. “People need to remain vigilant when driving as snow drifts and freezing conditions will continue to pose a risk to roadways.”
ýPage=001 Column=001 OK,0007.04þ The snowstorm that hit the township Tuesday evening slowed down the township Wednesday, closing the schools and some businesses, and resulted in a delayed opening for township offices.
Township spokesman Ron Schmalz said Wednesday morning that the major roads were clear of the 8 inches that fell during the storm, and that Public Works crews were still working on plowing the secondary roads.
This is in addition to the snow left over from December’s holiday blizzard and Saturday’s milder snowstorm.
All Department of Public Works and the township Water and Sewer workers help out with clearing the snow, Mr. Schmalz said.
Mr. Schmalz said this storm is the first in the budgeted year and he believes the same amount of ýPage=001 Column=002 OK,0002.04þ crews were plowing during this storm as the storm in December, and did not release the exact number of workers and equipment being used this time around.
Last month’s storm, which dumped more than 25 inches on the township used 56 crews, according to officials.
Township police said the snowstorm that started at about 8 p.m. Tuesday ended around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.
According to police, the storm had a “moderate” impact on the 144 miles of township roadways.
As of 8:30 a.m., police said the major highways were “passable” as long as residents reduced their speed, and that most side roads have been plowed at least once.
Township schools used an alert system around 9 p.m. Tuesday night that they would close ýPage=001 Column=003 OK,0002.04þ Wednesday, giving the approximately 9,000 students the day off.
Meanwhile, the township sent out notices that the senior and adult disabled transportation service would be canceled Wednesday, and the parks and recreation canceled Tuesday night basketball practices.
The South Brunswick YMCA also sent out an e-mail notice that said the facility would be closed Wednesday as a result of the snow.
Township offices had a two- hour delayed opening, which was the same as state offices.
The South Brunswick Public Library sent out a statement to its e-mail list saying that there would be a delayed opening at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Middlesex County, and several ýPage=001 Column=004 OK,0002.01þ other counties on Tuesday that lasted from 4 p.m. Tuesday until noon Wednesday, according to a National Weather Service release issued at 4:51 a.m. Tuesday.
“This event is all about heavy snow,” James Peronto, a meteorologist at Mount Holly, said Tuesday.
Mr. Peronto said the wind speed of the storm would not reach the 35 mph or greater for a “sustained period of time” required to be classified as a blizzard like last month’s storm.
Mr. Peronto said, however, the heavy snow would reduce visibility, but there would not be enough wind to “cause blizzard conditions.”
Mr. Peronto said a blizzard officially occurs when there are “susýPage=001 Column=005 OK,0002.01þ tained wind or frequent gusts to 35 miles an hour or greater; and considerable falling and/or blowing snow” that reduces visibility to below a ýPage=005 Column=006 OK,0002.08þ quarter mile for more than three hours.
According to the NOAA website, Florida is the only state that does not currently have any snow anywhere on the ground.