Local officials say Cranford is ready to handle the large snow storm that is expected to dump several inches of precipitation on the area beginning tomorrow.
"The township is fully prepared for this event," Township Administrator Joe Hartnett said this afternoon.
A winter storm and blizzard warning is in effect beginning at 6 a.m. Friday and lasting until 1 p.m. Saturday for all of Union County.
According to the township administrator, crews from the DPW have been put on standby and will be ready to clear snow from local roadways and public property.
"All public work crews have been put on standby and any scheduled time-off has been suspended until after this event. We have 18 snow plows ready to clear our streets and 200 tons of rock salt to deal with any slippery conditions," Harnett said. "All 18 trucks with plows will be in operation during street clearing operations. We also have equipment in reserve in the event of mechanical breakdowns."
The Cranford Police Department has released the following winter storm information via Nixle, in preparation for the predicted snow storm that is expected to hit the area tomorrow:
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning and a Blizzard Warning for parts of Union County. The alerts are listed below.
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM FRIDAY TO 1 PM SATURDAY.
Snow accumulations of 10 to 14 inches are now expected with localized higher amounts possible in developing snow bands. Temperatures, falling into the upper 20s by Friday evening. Visibilities of one quarter mile or less at times.
The strongest winds and heaviest snow will occur Friday night into Saturday morning. Heavy snow and winds will make for dangerous driving conditions with visibilities near zero in white out conditions.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS,
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL,KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT,FOOD, AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
PARKING and SNOW REMOVAL:
Residents are asked to remove any vehicles from the roadways to assist the DPW in keeping the roads clear. Please use your driveway or neighbor’s driveway if possible. You may also use the municipal parking deck (level 2 and higher) after 1 p.m. Friday. Residents living in the downtown that normally park in municipal parking lots are to park in the parking deck after 1 p.m. Friday, starting on level 2.
Residents should also ensure that they do not shovel or snow blow their snow back into the roadway after it has been plowed as this creates a hazardous condition.
ALL residents who park on a state or county road are required to remove their vehicles from the roads when snow covered. These residents may also utilize the parking deck in the event they have nowhere else to park. These roadways include:
North Avenue (State Rt 28)
South Avenue
Centennial Avenue
Raritan Road
Walnut Avenue
Springfield Avenue
Kenilworth Boulevard
Cranford Patch will continue to provide updates on the upcoming storm. For more information, like us on Facebook or follow Cranford Patch on Twitter.
