Holiday minimizes effect of snowstorm

A fast-moving winter storm dropped several inches of snow in northern and central New Jersey early Monday, but southern areas were mostly spared as slightly milder than expected temperatures quickly turned the snow into rain. The most snow fell in northwestern inland areas, where temperatures remained in the 20s for most of the overnight hours. The National Weather Service said 7.5 inches was reported in the Morris County towns of Rockaway Township and Butler, while about 7 inches was on the ground in Wantage in Sussex County. Nearly 5.5 inches was reported in most of Warren County, while 4.5 inches fell in Somerville and Raritan in Somerset County. However, less than 3 inches was reported in most of Burlington County, and Camden and Gloucester counties only saw an inch or so. Crews began salting and sanding roads, highways and bridges shortly after the snow began falling Sunday night, and hundreds of plows were ready across the state if needed. While speed restrictions were lowered in some areas, no major traffic problems were reported during the morning commute, as the precipitation had changed over to mostly rain by that point. Most roads were slick and slippery in spots, especially in rural and northern areas, but officials said overall traffic was light since most schools and businesses were closed Monday for the Presidents' Day holiday.