Thousands Still Without Power as Many Schools Remain Closed

Expect train delays for morning commute

Hundreds of thousands of people still without power after a freak October storm face the prospect of days without electricity or heat, and officials in some areas canceled Halloween because of fallen trees, downed lines and other hazards.

Dozens of schools closed for a second day Tuesday. See the latest closings here.

Although most train service is expected to be restored, riders are cautioned to expect delays while the system gets back on track (see below for details).

The storm pummeled West Milford, N.J. and Milbrook, N.Y., the most in the area, dumping 19 inches and 21 inches of snow, respectively, on Saturday.

New York City had far less snow, but still broke October records with its 2.9 inches in Central Park. The Bronx had 6 inches and Brooklyn saw 2 inches.

Several deaths across the Northeast are being attributed to the storm. 
 
Read on for regional updates on snowfall totals, power outages and transit suspensions.

NEW YORK CITY/NEW YORK STATE

Around the state, about 160,000 customers were without power Tuesday, most in the hard-hit Hudson Valley region of the state. Consolidated Edison reported about 34,000 customers without power, mostly in Westchester County, with the majority expected to be restored by late Wednesday.

Metro-North resumed mostly normal service Tuesday with several changes. Bus service will be in effect on the Wassaic, Waterbury and Danbury branches. Regular train/bus service is in effect on the Port Jervis line with the exception of the 9:20 a.m. train from Harriman to Port Jervis and the 11:10 a.m. train from Port Jervis, which aren't running. Check here for more details.

Shelters are open in Bedford at the Bedford Community Center, in Yorktown at Copper Beach Middle School and in Croton at the Municipal Building at 1 Van Wyck Street. Find out more at westchestergov.com

Nearly 1,000 trees in Central Park were lost in the storm, according to the Central Park Conservancy.

New York City parks were re-opened by noon Sunday, but officials advised New Yorkers to be cautious because heavy snow was still weighing down tree limbs. Crews are continuing to work citywide to address tree damage.

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe reminded park-goers to heed the yellow caution tape around fallen trees or potentially dangerous areas.

NEW JERSEY

Chester, in Morris County, postponed trick-or-treating until Friday and utilities are warning parents to be cautious of downed wires when taking children out trick-or-treating.

About 600,000 utility customers across New Jersey lost power over the weekend, including Gov. Chris Christie.

By Tuesday, about 360,000 were still in the dark. Jersey Central Power and Electric reported more than 210,000 customers without power, mostly in northern New Jersey.

Public Service Electric and Gas Company said it had another 150,000 without power. The utility expects to have restored service to 95 percent of its customers by midnight Wednesday.

"I know if you are without power today, Thursday seems like a long time from now," the governor said. "I understand that all this information, if you are someone who doesn't have power, is just talk until the lights go back on and the heat goes back on in your house. I get that. I lived it over the last 36 hours."

Beyond its line crews, PSE&G has arranged for 60 crews from Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi to work on the project, it said.

In Wayne, N.J., a man died when he struck a PSE&G utility truck parked on Hamburg Turnpike, where workers were repairing downed power lines early Sunday.

NJ Transit service restored service on the Morris & Essex and Boonton lines, but cautioned riders to expect 30 to 45 minute delays in both directions. Service remains suspended between Hackettstown and Dover.

CONNECTICUT

Officials in Fairfield, Avon, Bristol, Hartford, Coventry and Danbury have suggested postponing Halloween until later in the week or canceled it all together.

Gov. Dannel Malloy tweeted Monday that the state has had two weather-related fatalities, both from vehicle accidents.

By Tuesday morning, about 700,000 customers, primarily Connecticut Light & Power users, remained in the dark across the state, shattering the record for a single event that was set when the remnants of Hurricane Irene hit in August.

Connecticut Light & Power cautions customers to plan for prolonged outages that may last a week.

The storm smashed a record for October snowfall in Connecticut, dropping 12.3 inches Saturday at Bradley International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The previous measurable snowfall in the state was 1.7 inches on Oct. 10, 1979.
 
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