Northeast governors warn of downed trees, outages as blizzard rages
New York, NY – Governors across the Northeast warned residents to stay off the roads as a major winter storm brought whiteout conditions, falling trees, and growing power outages to the region.
During an appearance on CNN News Central, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman outlined the challenges facing their states as high winds and heavy snow continued to impact travel and utilities.
Sherrill said her primary concern in New Jersey involves falling trees and downed utility lines, which have created hazardous conditions on highways and local roads. She urged residents to avoid contact with downed wires and report them immediately, calling the situation dangerous as plow crews continue working while snow is still falling.
“We’re still not through it,” Sherrill said, noting that while some major roadways such as the Turnpike have been cleared to pavement, municipal and county roads remain snow-covered and unsafe.
Power outages expected to rise
In Connecticut, Gov. Lamont said about 20,000 customers were without power as of Monday morning, a number he expects to increase as wind gusts intensify.
According to Gov. Ned Lamont, utility crews are working to restore service, but repairs may take time as conditions remain unstable. He expressed hope that snowfall would ease by early afternoon, allowing road crews and power companies to better access affected areas.
Blakeman reported that fewer than 3,000 homes in Nassau County were without power but warned that additional outages are likely if wind gusts reach 60 mph and several more inches of snow accumulate. He described the storm as one of the more challenging events local officials have faced in recent years.
- New Jersey reports hazardous roads, downed trees and wires
- Connecticut sees 20,000 outages with more possible as winds increase
- Nassau County warns of additional power failures if gusts intensify
Officials across the region stressed that emergency crews, utility providers, and transportation departments remain active as the winter storm continues to move through the Northeast.
Sherrill emphasized that plowing operations remain underway on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, but warned that whiteout conditions and untreated local roads make travel unsafe.
Residents were urged to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and allow crews to clear roadways and restore power safely as the storm persists.
Officials urge residents to stay home amid worsening storm conditions