A powerful snowstorm hit the greater New York area from Sunday to Monday (23rd), bringing strong winds and heavy wet snow, resulting in hundreds of thousands of households losing power. Major utility companies stated that power has been gradually restored in some areas, but many users may have to wait until Tuesday or even later for full restoration of electricity.
Currently, the most severe impact is in New Jersey. Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) reported that as of Monday morning at 10:45 am, over 63,000 households in the northern and central regions were without power.
The power outages are mainly concentrated along the Jersey Shore, including Monmouth and Ocean counties. JCP&L spokesperson Chris Hoenig mentioned that while the number of outages is still fluctuating, about half of the affected users have had their power restored. The main reason for the outages is the strong winds toppling trees and downing powerlines. According to the National Weather Service, gusts from this Northeast storm reached speeds of up to 60 miles per hour along the coast.
In South Jersey, Atlantic City Electric reported around 56,000 households without power; a PSEG spokesperson stated that approximately 31,000 households have had power restored since Sunday morning, while 3,500 households still awaited restoration as of Monday morning.
Around 5,000 power workers have been mobilized statewide in New Jersey for repairs, with additional support personnel called in from out of state.
In New York, Long Island and Far Rockaway are facing the most severe outages.
PSEG Long Island reported over 17,000 households without power as of Monday morning at 10:45 am.
The New York City Emergency Management has set up multiple temporary heating centers in the Rockaway area to provide shelter for residents experiencing power outages, including Far Rockaway High School, Beach Channel High School, and P.S. 43.
As of 11 am on Monday, Consolidated Edison reported approximately 3,000 households without power across the five boroughs of New York City and Westchester County.
A spokesperson for Consolidated Edison stated that the outages in New York City were due to strong winds, as well as equipment damage caused by the mixture of road salt and snow following plowing. The company has hired external personnel to help maintain power stability.
Consolidated Edison also reminded the public to stay away from downed power lines and report any findings immediately to 911 or call 1-800-752-6633, or report outages via their official website.
Central Hudson reported only around 250 households without power, while Orange & Rockland Utilities had approximately 600 households affected.
Utility companies mentioned that restoration times will depend on weather and road conditions. Due to the heavy, wet snow and strong gusts, the electric grid and transmission lines are under significant stress.
As the snowstorm gradually moves eastward, authorities continue to urge residents to avoid unnecessary travel and remain vigilant to prevent secondary disasters.