Power Holding Strong in Marlboro and Colts Neck as of Monday Morning

Power seems to be holding strong (yes, I'm knocking on wood) in Marlboro and Colts Neck, as f 10:45 a.m. on Monday morning.

While strong winds and rain are ripping through both towns, the worst of the storm is schedule to hit on Monday night. For now, residents are enjoying the electricity.

Lynda Stark of Colts Neck commented on our Facebook page, saying "I'm thankful I have power in CN this morning so I could take a shower and have coffee!!"

Power outages are expected in much of Monmouth County, and JCP&L said some outages could take as many as 10 days to fix. 

Marlboro-Colts Neck Patch will be keeping residents updated. Patch is in constant communication with police and officials in both townships. You can report what you're seeing on our Facebook page, by emailing Kaitlyn.Anness@Patch.com or joining our live Monmouth County chat. 

In case of a power outage:

• Check your circuit breaker box to be sure the problem isn’t just with your home. If not, report the outage to Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) at 1-888-544-4877 or by visiting its online outage report system. You can also follow outage reports in the area through JCP&L's interactive map.
• Turn on one light switch so you’ll know when power is restored, but unplug all electrical equipment, including TVs, computers and motor-driven appliances to prevent an overload when the power turns back on.
• Never go near fallen power lines. Report the outage and call 911 to report the downed lines.
• Keep a flashlight and charged batteries on hand and in an easily accessible location. Better yet, stock each bedroom with a flashlight. You should always be able to find at least one flashlight while your house is completely in the dark.
• Keep your freezer and refrigerator doors closed to preserve the cool air. Food can last several hours in a power outage if it’s kept cool. Put a blanket over your refrigerator to add insulation to it. After the power is back on, if you’re in doubt, throw it out. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has handy tips about how long food will last in outages.
• Charge your phones, laptops and other devices if you know bad weather is coming, just in case an outage hits.