Camden County is diligently monitoring the developments of a costal storm system threatening to deliver up to three inches of snow to the region tomorrow. Preparations are already underway to respond to the inclement conditions and keep traffic moving in Camden County.
“Although the calendar says it is the first day of spring, tomorrow’s weather will remind us that it is still March. We are expecting the storm to impact our area in advance of the morning commute, so please plan accordingly,” said Freeholder Ian Leonard, liaison to the Camden County DPW. “Our public works employees will be on the job to keep roadways passible, but we need everyone to remain extra cautious behind the wheel. Our equipment is prepped and trucks are loaded with product to address any and all situations that may arise.”
A developing coastal low will approach the region tonight bringing snow tomorrow morning. Given the time of year and higher angle of the sun, there will be a tight gradient of snow accumulation from northwest to southeast along with a high level of variability with this storm. There is a 45 percent chance of up to three inches of accumulation in parts of Camden County. The snow is expected to transition to rain during the afternoon before tapering off to scattered rain showers or drizzle in the evening. Watch for areas of re-freeze Friday night as temperatures drop into the 20’s.
At the public works complex in Lindenwold, more than 90 pieces of equipment stand ready to keep county roadways passable and motorists moving. If the weather becomes treacherous personnel will be dispatched to 12 winter maintenance districts to address salt and plow 1,200 lane miles of roadways across Camden County. The county’s response plan calls for crews to be dispatched only to the zones where they are needed.
“As always, when the weather turns hazardous we recommend that motorists remain cautious and give themselves extra time to reach their destinations,” Leonard said. “Anyone on the roadways during these times should be prepared to encounter slick road conditions. Remember to leave at least six car lengths behind our DPW vehicles while they work, and move any cars off the street and into a driveway while we continue our plowing operations. Remember that it is illegal in New Jersey to plow or shovel snow from private property into roadways.”
In the event that the weather causes isolated power outages, please remember to immediately call your utility company so they can identify the location and coordinate crews to restore your power. This storm has the potential to bring down trees and power lines residents need to be extra cognizant of any power failures. Below are numbers and contact info for the two power providers in Camden County:
PSE&G: 1–800–436-PSEG (7734)
PSEG website: http://pseg.com/home/customer_service/outage_info/index.jsp
Atlantic City Electric: 1–800–833–7476
Atlantic City Electric website: http://www.atlanticcityelectric.com/home/
South Jersey Gas: 1–800–582–7060
South Jersey Gas website: http://southjerseygas.com/
As always, please use 911 for emergencies only. If you see a problem on a county road, please call our 24-hour hotline at (856) 566–2980 to report it to DPW.
Continue to check www.camdencounty.com through the storm for weather and road condition updates. Information will also be provided through Facebook and Twitter.
