Cranford went to work Thursday morning after a blizzard covered the area with over a foot of snow.
The Cranford area received over 16-18 inches of snow on Wednesday, and local public works crews spent the night clearing it out of the way. As a result, pavement is visible on the main roads, though some side streets look like they haven't been touched for hours.
Pedestrians should be careful walking along plowed roads, as two- to three-feet high snow drifts make negotiating unshoveled sidewalks difficult.
NJTransit is back to its regular schedule Thursday, but not without complications. Northeast Corridor trains have been combined due to weather-related track limitations. Customers are advised to leave approximately 30 minutes of additional travel time and to expect crowding conditions. As of this morning, the Raritan Valley line looks delay-free.
While drivable roads and operable trains will help those trying to get to work, it won't be a concern for local school children, who have a second day off due to snow. The Cranford School District made the announcement Wednesday night that they'd decided to cancel classes for Thursday. Students also have Monday off for President's Day.
The St. Michael's School and Union County College are among those closed.
High winds and heavy snow brought reports of downed wires and branches in Cranford throughout Wednesday and into the evening. A blown transformer in Garwood took out traffic lights at North Avenue and Orchard, and South and Lincoln avenues, though the lights are functioning now. Cranford police did not receive any reports of motor vehicle accidents.
Cranford's municipal building was open during the height of the storm on Wednesday. Several residents braved the snow to submit their tax payments on time.
The blizzard warning for the two towns expired at 6 a.m. this morning. The National Weather Service predicts the weather for Thursday will be partly sunny with above freezing temperatures.
That forecast should be perfect for a second day of playing in the snow. We at Patch would still greatly appreciate your photos of sledding, snowball fights, and more! Either click "add" under the photo gallery on this page, or send them to whitney@patch.com.
Be sure to stay tuned to Patch for all the latest information. If you know of delays or cancelations, send the info our way.
