Up to 10 inches of snow in Montclair Thursday, Friday — Get cars off the streets
Louis C. Hochman
Louis C. Hochman Published: February 17, 2021
Kayode and Corsen Atewologun glide down the hill. Photo by Kate Albright
By LOUIS C. HOCHMAN
hochman@montclairlocal.news
Snow could start falling in Montclair as soon as Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service. But the real accumulation is expected Thursday during the day, with about 3 to 5 inches possible, and wind chill values down as low as 15 degrees. Snow may continue into Thursday night, with another 1 to 3 inches, and then further into Friday with another inch or two.
The National Weather Service updates its forecasts frequently. See here for the latest.
Montclair has declared a state of emergency starting at 9 a.m. Thursday. Non-essential travel and on-street parking will be prohibited for all vehicles for the duration of the state of emergency.
Parking on snow-covered streets is also prohibited by township ordinance. The no-parking prohibition remains in effect for a period of 12 hours after the snowfall has stopped. Montclair officials warn they'll be ticketing and towing vehicles parked on city streets.
Residents may park their vehicles free of charge in municipal lots and decks from 6 a.m. Thursday until streets are clear of snow.
Montclair Public Schools planned an abbreviated schedule or "curriculum Thursday" schedule for Thursday, with no teacher hours in the afternoon. Montclair Kimberley Academy was planning an all-remote schedule.
NJ Transit expected to continue normal service during Thursday's snow, but warned delays or cancelations were possible. See here for the latest advisories on the Montclair-Boonton line.
Essex County has declared a Code Blue for the storm through Sunday at 8 a.m.
New Jersey maintains a list of warming stations per county here. As of Wednesday, warming stations were listed in the Essex County communities of Irvington and Newark.
Remember: Under New Jersey law, a driver who doesn't remove snow from a car faces a fine of $25 to $75 for each offense. If flying ice or snow causes property damage, the fines jump all the way up to $200 to $1,000. Montclair cited drivers 74 times between 2016 and 2020 for failing to remove snow from their cars, according to New Jersey court records. Over the same time, 65 citations led to convictions.
It's also illegal in New Jersey to let your vehicle idle for more than three minutes — with just a few exceptions. A vehicle can idle for up to 15 minutes if it's been stopped for at least three hours and the temperature outside is below 25 degrees. Again, the penalties can add up: $250 for a first offense, $500 on a second offence, and $1,000 on any offenses after that. Montclair police issued just one citation in 2020 and two in 2016 (with one conviction that year) for that offense.
The following photos have been submitted by readers of Montclair Local in recent storms: