Delaware Valley Bracing For Major Snowstorm
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. (CBS) -- The tri-state is getting ready for its next clash with winter as a Nor'easter is expected to hit overnight into Thursday. The Jersey Shore is expected to take the brunt of the storm's fury and officials are making preparations.
In South Jersey, 6-10 inches of snow is being forecasted.
But Cape May County Emergency Management Coordinator Marty Pagliughi isn't so much worried about that.
"This seems to be a prolonged wind event," Pagliughi told KYW Newsradio. "They're talking 25 to 30 knots sustained, gusts of 40. That's where the problem could come in with power outages."
Put that wind together with ice likely to form on power lines and you get where he's coming from. Municipalities are setting up warming stations in case the lights go out and if the situation gets bad enough, the county is ready to open some of their own.
"We've been in constant contact with Atlantic City Electric," Pagliughi added. "They are pre-staging crews in the southern, central and northern parts of the county to get through the event. We're just worried about the icing effect of the snow because it's the cold temperatures. It's going to stick to everything."
Delaware Valley, Jersey Shore Brace For Powerful Nor'easter
Plow trucks sit at the ready in Wildwood Crest as public works employees gear up the storm.
"We actually have our town broke up into a couple zones so we send like three trucks to each zone. Everybody knows their zone and we go out and plow, plow, plow until it stops snowing," said Joe Bond, with the Wildwood Crest Public Works Department.
"Temperatures aren't going to allow us to really get to the bare pavement because it's going to ice up on us a little bit, so motorists are really going to have to be careful driving around here," said Cape May County Engineer Dale Foster. "This one is a little more challenging because they are expecting very high winds and with drifting winds, you get high snow and therefore it's very difficult to get the roads clear from that drifting snow."
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FREE PARKING IN ATLANTIC CITY
Due to inclement weather, the Wave Parking Garage, located at the corner of Mississippi and Fairmount ave will provide free overnight parking from now, January 3, 2018 through 8:00 a.m. Friday, January 5, 2018 in preparation for the impending winter snowstorm.
In Philadelphia, crews are prepping for a few inches of snow, but it's the temperatures falling below freezing that has the city's Streets Department concerned.
"We are going to be starting this operation off as a salting operation and if conditions worsen we'll put the plows on and then start plowing the streets," said Steve Lorenz, with the Philadelphia Streets Department.
Eighty-five pieces of equipment and 40,000 tons of salt are ready to treat the streets. Crews in Philly will work overnight to monitor the roads.
SEPTA is also making adjustments. There will be speed restrictions on regional rail and trolley lines.
SEPTA, PATCO Bracing For Winter Storm In Philadelphia-Area
PennDOT is doing its part to gear up for the snowstorm and they want you to do the same.
PennDOT has 350 trucks on hand to salt and plow highways throughout the Delaware Valley.
"We have an excess of 110,000 tons of salt on hand ready to be deployed at any moment," says PennDOT's Tony Goreski, who adds that traffic and weather will play a factor in how expeditiously they can clear the roads.
"Many of the roads at times, will still be snow covered during the event, regardless of how many trucks we do have deployed," Goreski says. "Drivers are urged to delay travel if possible. If you must travel, be prepared to face poor visibility, slick roads through the changing weather conditions.
