While officials advised residents not to venture outdoors unless absolutely necessary, those intent on braving the conditions were cautioned to dress in layers, keep their skin covered and limit their time outside. Watch video
First came the snow. Now comes the cold.
With the first snowfall of 2014 over, emergency coordinators in northwest New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley are turning their attention toward the frigid temperatures expected to last into the night.
“Now that the snow has stopped, people want to go outside and clear driveways or cars, but it's important they remain cognizant and aware of how cold it really is and the effects it can have on the body,” said Braden Fahey, emergency management coordinator for Hunterdon County.
Overnight snowfall totals topped out in the region at 7.5 inches in Bethlehem shortly before 5 a.m. In Clinton, 6.5 inches of snow were reported while the Lehigh Valley International Airport reported snowfall to be 7.2 inches.
Despite the snow, police and emergency dispatchers in the Lehigh Valley and northwest New Jersey reported few problems. No significant power outages were reported in Lehigh, Warren, Northampton or Hunterdon counties.
Fahey said about 10 this morning that some snow remained along municipal back roads, but the county routes and state highways had largely been cleared. Hunterdon County’s 911 center was experiencing normal call volumes, he said, and had not seen much of an increase in accidents or emergencies reported.
“It seems like everybody heeded that advisory or advice they got,” he said. “We haven’t had many reports of accidents and the traffic volume is lighter than normal.”
In Warren County, emergency management coordinator Frank Wheatley said they too were not experiencing any major issues. Extra personnel were on hand at the emergency center, he said, but an expected increase in call volumes hadn’t materialized.
“We were prepared for the worst, but I think people were smart and stayed home today,” he said.
Scott Lindenmuth, director of emergency management for Lehigh County, said the storm posed no major issues for the county thanks to the serious prep work and prudence of most residents.
“As a community, everyone did their part,” Lindenmuth said.
Road crews, both state and local, worked all night, police cleared wrecks with remarkable speed and most residents opted to stay in and not risk treacherous travel, he said. There were no crashes involving serious injuries during the storm, Lindenmuth said he was relieved to report.
Bob Mateff, the director of emergency management for Northampton County, said the county fared well despite the storm's fairly direct hit. He credited significant preparation, plenty of media coverage of what was coming and timing for the success.
"We were monitoring all along and were ready," Mateff said. "The cold temperatures are going to make cleanup a little slower, but our call volume is down — lower than normal."
The snow's start at the end of rush hour helped ensure most people were home or on their way home before the brunt of the storm, according to Mateff.
"And we're still in that sort of holiday period so traffic is just lighter," he said. "The bitter temperatures are forcing people to be more careful."
Mateff said the county is monitoring the temperatures in the event that it needs to open up warming centers to assist homeless shelters in the county.
As of 10 o'clock today, Phillipsburg and Hellertown had lifted their snow emergencies. Hackettstown did the same a half hour later. Lower Saucon Township's will end at 3 p.m.
As the day moves on, however, officials said dropping temperatures may present a new series of problems.
“We’re passed the snow. The sun’s out and everyone’s happy,” Lindenmuth said. “But now we have to worry about the cold.”
While high temperatures today were in the teens, wind chills made it feel like minus 7 degrees in some places in northwestern New Jersey, according to AccuWeather.
And it’s only going to get colder. The overnight low was expected to drop to minus 9 degrees in Warren County, AccuWeather said. The forecast low for the airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, is 5 below zero -- which would surpass the Jan. 4 record of minus 4, the National Weather Service said.
“Obviously the colder temperatures can present some problems in terms of roads icing up and residents' pipes freezing, and running out of oil, those types of emergency needs,” Wheatley said.
While officials advised residents not to venture outdoors unless absolutely necessary, those intent on braving the conditions were advised to dress in layers, keep their skin covered and limit their time outside.
The sunshine is deceiving, Lindenmuth said, and he expects county EMS to have to deal with people ambitiously shoveling snow for too long and suffering the consequences.
“People have got to remember to mind their own health and time out there,” Lindenmuth said, suggesting no longer than 15-minute intervals between outdoor work.
The Lehigh County Senior Center, 1633 Elm St. in Allentown, is also opened today, Lindenmuth said, but it will also be on standby after hours as a warming center should the need arise. Fahey said Hunterdon County was also prepared to open a warming center if necessary.
“Obviously (the temperature) is something to watch,” Fahey said. “The wind chills are pretty dangerous and supposed to remain there throughout the day.”
Staff writer Sarah M. Wojcik contributed to this report.