For Morris County, it was a 'No'easter'

The unblemished storm map at Jersey Central Power & Light Co. in Morris Township told the story of the storm that never was on Tuesday.

"There's nothing going on right now," said Ron Morano, company spokesman. "Conditions were normal overnight. We'll be returning to normal operations Tuesday afternoon."

That was the word everywhere.

The Netcong station of the State Police reported no accidents after Gov. Chris Christie lifted the statewide travel ban early Tuesday morning. The U.S. Postal Service was delivering mail where it could.

In the end, the so-called "Nor'Beaster" and "Snowmageddon," predicted to dump up to two feet of snow on Morris County, actually brought a measly three inches, at best, and ended up being a 'No'easter.'

"Generally speaking, Morris County got 1 to 3 inches, maybe 4 inches of snow in some places," said AccuWeather meteorologist Rob Richards. Jefferson received 2 inches and parts of Parsippany, 1 inch.

At the Morris County Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday morning, Scott DiGiralomo, county emergency management coordinator, said all was quiet.

"Traffic is moving smoothly," he said. "There have not been any significant power outages any place, even with the wind."

Gov. Chris Christie lifted the statewide travel ban at 7:30 a.m. The restrictions were put in place on Monday night to aid plowing and to reflect a ban that was in effect in neighboring New York.

NJ Transit trains began rolling again Tuesday morning around 10:30 a.m. — except on the Montclair-Boonton Line and Gladstone Branch, which are expected to resume service Wednesday morning. Buses also began running again. PATH trains and Port Authority bus service resumed at 9:30 a.m., and the Port Authority's Hudson River bridges and tunnels reopened.

Air travel resumed at Newark Liberty International Airport after hundreds of flights scheduled for Tuesday were canceled Monday.

Christie declared a state of emergency Monday, shutting down state office buildings for Tuesday and closing roads between 11 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

He defended the decision.

"I was being told as late as 9 o'clock last night that we were looking at 20-inch accumulations in most of New Jersey," Christie said. "If, in fact, that is what would have happened, having these types of things in effect were absolutely the right decision to make.

So what was all the hype about, and how does calling snow events by such inflammatory names affect how people react to weather and emergencies? Drew University English professor Jim Hala, who teaches history and structure of the English language, weighed in on the issue.

"The phrase that sticks in my mind is a snowstorm 'of historic proportions,'" he said. "After we get all this hype, and nothing really happens, what do they say next time? After a while, you run out of superlatives."

Hala attributed the language to a culture constantly looking for stimulation and unaccustomed to simply taking things as they come. Extreme language may make a weather, or any news, story seem more interesting and urgent, according to Hala, but, ultimately, it has an odd effect.

"As sometimes happens, the storm doesn't quite fulfill expectations," he said. "So when the next time one comes around, there's a flattening effect to the whole thing."

While the storm left little more than a dozen power outages statewide, hundreds of schools were closed Tuesday and businesses were forced to deal with travel restrictions that kept customers away.

Nevertheless, JCP&L was at the ready and conducted a conference call with elected officials Monday and Tuesday, according to Morano. In addition to having 600 line, substation and forestry workers on hand, it had mobilized 100 contractor line personnel who were staged in Pennsylvania Monday night, ready to swing into action.

They moved into New Jersey, Morano said, but had little to do.

At Morristown Medical Center, demand in the emergency room was lower than usual, according to a hospital spokesman. With the exception of one snowblower injury, most other visits were because of common winter respiratory ailments.

St. Clare's Hospital in Denville and Dover reported its emergency rooms were both busier leading up to and during the storm, though the increased activity had largely subsided by late Monday evening. Most visits were because of the flu, not the storm, a spokeswoman said.

The Postal Service announced postal carriers would be attempting to make deliveries where they could but called for residents to keep walkways, sidewalks, steps, and overhangs clear of snow and ice. They also asked that areas around curbside boxes be cleared, allowing mail trucks to drive to and from boxes.

"No one wants to inconvenience the customer," District Manager Sharon Rogers said. "However, we must ensure the safety of our employees."

During winter storms, postal carriers have suffered serious injuries related to slips, trips and falls because of icy and snow-covered walkways and porch steps, according to the Postal Service.

Staff Writer Lorraine Ash: 973-428-6660; lash@njpressmedia.com