A potentially historic winter storm is expected to slam New Jersey today through Monday, bringing blizzard conditions, heavy snow, damaging winds and the potential for widespread travel disruptions across the Hopewell Valley, Mercer County and the region.
As of 6:00 a.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service in Mount Holly has expanded Blizzard Warnings to include all of New Jersey, including Mercer County. Forecasters say confidence remains high that the storm will produce significant snowfall of 18-24 inches, strong winds and impacts that could linger beyond Monday.
Update as of 9am Sunday: Hopewell Valley Regional School District will be closed on Monday due to the state of emergency and expected road conditions.
What to Expect
According to the latest briefing:
- Snow is expected to begin late this morning, with some areas possibly seeing rain at the onset before a changeover to all snow.
- The heaviest snowfall is expected this evening through Monday morning, with snowfall rates potentially exceeding 1 to 2 inches per hour.
- Blizzard conditions will lead to whiteout visibility, blowing and drifting snow, and life-threatening travel conditions.
- Wind gusts could reach 45 mph inland, with even stronger gusts along the coast.
- Widespread major to extreme impacts are likely, including closures and infrastructure disruptions.
Snow will likely impact both the Monday morning and possibly the Monday evening commute.
State of Emergency Declared
Governor Mikie Sherrill has declared a State of Emergency effective 12:00 p.m. Sunday across all 21 counties, citing forecasts of blizzard conditions, wind gusts up to 55 mph and snowfall totals that could exceed 10 inches statewide, with higher amounts possible in some areas.
State officials are urging residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary and to complete final preparations immediately.
Local Snow Rules in Hopewell and Pennington
With significant snowfall expected, both Hopewell Borough and Pennington Borough have activated snow ordinances that prohibit street parking once accumulation reaches emergency levels.
Street Parking Prohibited
- When snow covers the roadway, parking on public streets is prohibited until roads are sufficiently plowed.
- Vehicles left on snow-covered streets may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.
- During snow emergencies, parking is allowed in designated municipal lots (with restrictions in Pennington between 9:00 p.m. and midnight to allow for plowing).
Sidewalk Clearing Required
- Property owners must clear snow and ice from sidewalks within 12 hours of daylight after snowfall ends.
- If ice cannot be removed, sidewalks must be treated with sand or similar material to ensure safe passage.
- Snow from private property may not be pushed into streets.
- Failure to comply can result in fines and, in some cases, the Borough clearing the sidewalk and placing a lien on the property for the cost.
Pennington Borough has also announced that Monday, February 23 garbage collection has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 24 due to the storm.
