Town gets brunt of first winter storm

Last weekend's winter storm not only dumped some 6-8 inches of snow and a bit of ice, but also brought down trees and power lines.

The slow moving storm started Sunday morning with rain, freezing rain and sleet, then turning into all snow Monday.

The township saw about eight inches of snow on top of a glazing of ice from Sunday through Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service predicted snow starting before 4 p.m. Sunday, changing to freezing rain and sleet during the night and into Monday.

The snow, freezing rain and sleet are predicted to continue through Monday and into the overnight hours of Tuesday, eventually ending around 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to the service.

As of noon on Sunday, freezing rain already placed a coat of ice on the roads and sidewalks.

District schools closed Monday and Tuesday, resuming following a 90-minute delay on Wednesday.

The township's annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, scheduled for Monday, was also cancelled.

Sections of several township roads had to close during the storm as trees and electric lines fell under the weight of the snow and ice on tree branches.

Orange & Rockland crews were out in force in both New York and New Jersey to deal with the thousands who lost power during the storm.

Mayor Michele Dale said that the company was able to restore power to many in the township ahead of its projected schedule, leaving only a handful still without service as of Wednesday.

According to police, roads were all open as of Wednesday night.

West Milford in New Jersey and Greenwood Lake in New York were two of the hardest hit areas as the storm churned off the coast, according to the National Weather Service.

Some 50 million people, from the Carolinas to Maine, were under the gun as it passed over the mid-Atlantic coast.