New Jersey woke up Monday buried. A powerful winter storm that rolled in overnight has dumped historic amounts of snow across the state, with totals that are turning heads and breaking records from the northern counties all the way down to the Jersey Shore.
The numbers are striking. Data from the National Weather Service shows that much of North Jersey has been blanketed with more than a foot of snow, while coastal areas along the Jersey Shore have seen totals creeping closer to two feet of accumulation. In some spots, residents stepped outside Monday morning to find their cars completely buried, their streets unrecognizable, and their neighborhoods eerily quiet under a thick white blanket.
The storm, which brought whiteout conditions and wind gusts reaching approximately 65 miles per hour at Atlantic City Airport, is not done yet. An additional six inches of snow is still expected to fall across parts of New Jersey before the system moves out. A blizzard warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23.
New Jersey Snowfall Totals by Region
The disparity in snowfall totals across the state tells the story of just how wide-reaching this storm has been. North Jersey bore the brunt of the inland accumulation, with widespread reports of over 12 inches across multiple counties. Meanwhile, the Jersey Shore — typically spared the worst of inland storms — has actually seen some of the highest totals this time around, with certain coastal communities recording nearly two feet of snow.
Emergency management officials say the combination of heavy snow, relentless wind, and near-zero visibility made this one of the more dangerous winter events the state has experienced in recent memory. Drifting snow has made even plowed roads treacherous, and many residential streets remain completely unpassable as of Monday morning.
Gov. Sherrill Extends Travel Restrictions
With the storm still raging, Gov. Mikie Sherrill extended travel restrictions on state highways until at least noon Monday. Speaking on WNYC, she described conditions as still too dangerous for most drivers, pointing to powerful wind gusts, persistent drifting, and ongoing whiteout conditions on major roads.
State crews have been working through the night to clear downed trees and debris from highways, but the sheer volume of snow and the speed at which it continues to fall has made progress slow. Officials made clear that keeping residents off the roads is the single most effective way to speed up the cleanup.
The Storm’s Toll on Power Across NJ
The snowfall and brutal winds have taken a serious toll on New Jersey’s power grid. More than 200,000 outages have been reported statewide, leaving homes and businesses in the dark across multiple counties. Over 5,000 utility workers are currently on the ground working to restore service, and as of Monday morning, roughly half of those outages had been resolved.
Officials emphasized that road clearance and power restoration are directly linked — the faster civilians stay off the highways, the faster utility crews can reach affected areas and get the lights back on. Residents without power are urged to stay warm, avoid indoor generator use, and check on vulnerable neighbors when safe.
NJ Transit and the Road to Recovery
New Jersey Transit is also feeling the weight of the storm, with multiple lines reporting outages and service disruptions throughout Monday. The agency said it is working as quickly and safely as possible to restore full operations, but commuters should expect significant delays and are encouraged to monitor updates in real time before heading out.
Recovery from a storm of this magnitude is rarely quick. With snowfall totals still climbing, winds refusing to let up, and tens of thousands still without power, New Jersey faces what could be a multi-day climb back to normalcy. For now, the message from officials is simple — stay home, stay safe, and let the crews do their work.
Source: North Jersey
