How Much Snow Did The Nor'easter Bring To Wayne?

WAYNE, NJ — A "major" nor'easter hit the Wayne area on Wednesday, producing school closures and bringing snow.

The National Weather Service labeled the "major" system a "nor'easter" since it was expected to produce strong, sustained damaging winds and precipitation over a 24-hour period on Wednesday.

The storm was projected to dump up to a foot of snow in the northern part of the state, making roadways dangerous, and potentially knocking out power for multiple communities.

Those lofty expectations of snowfall weren't met, but the NWS did report 6 inches of snow in Wayne as of 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

This photo was taken by a Wayne resident Wednesday evening:

Power outages haven't posed much of a problem for the region.

PSE&G only reports fewer than five outages in Wayne, and only 55 total in Passaic County, most of them, 51, in Passaic.

Wayne Public Schools canceled classes for Thursday, citing concerns about access to power for teachers and students.

"The New Jersey Department of Education allows for school districts to count virtual school days toward the 180-day requirement, including using virtual days in place of emergency closures such as snow days. However, this practice is not allowable when there are power outages and other conditions that hinder virtual learning," said Superintendent of Schools Mark Toback, in a letter.

"This means that students and staff must generally have power and internet access. It is very unlikely we would be able to meet this requirement given the current forecast," he added.

The district has yet to make a decision for Friday, but said virtual learning or a second snow day are both possibilities.

READ MORE: Wayne Schools Cancel Thursday Class Ahead Of Nor'easter

Garbage collection scheduled for Thursday was canceled, the township announced on Twitter.

The forecast has also impacted county-wide programs.

In Passaic County, mobile coronavirus testing originally scheduled for Thursday in West Milford has been canceled.

Testing at Passaic County Community College on Saturday has not been canceled, however.

Here were expected snow totals:

Officials said there are over 400 pieces of road equipment available for snow clearing efforts to make roads safer, though Gov. Phil Murphy noted during a Wednesday news conference that fewer people are expected on the road due to the coronavirus.

"Because so many people are currently still working from home, and so many students are still on remote learning, we do not anticipate the same after school or rush hour issues that we would otherwise see," Murphy said. "But if you are on the road after the storm conditions have begun, we urge you to please take it slow, and use common sense and caution."

Murphy said the state is also watching the delivery of the new coronavirus vaccine, saying 35 hospitals are supposed to get delivery within the next 24-48 hours.

READ MORE: Gov. Murphy Declares State Of Emergency For NJ Nor'easter Snow

Here is the forecast:

• Thursday: A 50 percent chance of snow before noon. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a steady temperature around 28. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. Blustery, with a north wind 16 to 21 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.
• Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. North wind 5 to 7 mph.