Icy Roads Delayed Schools, More Snow Possible In Long Valley

LONG VALLEY, NJ — After snow hit the area on Sunday night into Monday, many schools called a delay on Tuesday morning following the holiday weekend.

With a domino effect, the roads that began to thaw slightly after the storm, refroze overnight Monday, with the Washington Township Schools among those in the area with delayed openings.

There is a possibility of a similar pattern into the coming week, as snow is expected to return to the area Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, potentially delivering another inch of accumulation, the National Weather Service forecasts.

Another shot of snow is also expected Friday night into Saturday, which meteorologists are keeping an eye on.

The Washington Township Schools on Tuesday morning called a two-hour delay because of the "icy road conditions,” allowing crews to have more time to treat the surfaces.

On Monday, Washington Township Mayor Matt Murello posted this video of the roads, alerting residents that secondary roads could have black ice because of plunging temperatures refreezing the surfaces.

The nearby Mendham Township Police offered safe driving tips for those who have to head out in snowy, slushy and icy conditions. Drivers should:

• Do safety and traction checks by gently pushing their car’s brakes to check road conditions.
• Brake before getting into a turn to safely negotiate it, then accelerate after departing it.
• Avoid the use of cruise control when driving in slushy or snowy conditions.

Here is the National Weather Service forecast for the area through Friday:

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 31. Northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph after midnight.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday Night: Rain and snow likely, becoming all snow after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 28. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday: A chance of snow before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 8.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 20.

Friday Night: A chance of snow after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.