🌨️ CPG® Weather Alert: Snowstorm to Impact Northeastern U.S.
Written By: Kellie Lynch
Winter Weather Advisory in Effect for Northeast U.S.
An incoming Nor'easter will hit the Atlantic Coast beginning today, Wednesday, December 16. According to the current forecast, snow will track over the Maryland area, starting to the West around 10:00AM and then heading east. The I-81 corridor anticipates 12-18 inches of snow, with the Baltimore area getting 6-12 inches. Strong, gusty winds will cause widespread blowing snow and periods of whiteout conditions, leading to road closures and delays.
The State of Pennsylvania has already posted the following warnings and closures:
- No empties or BT’s after 1:00PM.
- I-78, I-80 (I-99 to NJ), I-81, I-83, I-84, I-95, I-283, I-295, I-380, I-676, PA-33, I-76 (Breezewood to NJ including the PA Turnpike), I-476 (I-95 to Clark Summit including the PA Turnpike) will be closed to commercial vehicle traffic starting at 1:00PM.
These closures will have a negative impact on deliveries slated for 12/16 and 12/17.
Impact to Baltimore
The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) anticipates snow accumulation around 2:00PM today and, as a precaution, will close their inbound gate at 2:45PM and their outbound gate at 3:45PM. At this time, they anticipate a late opening for Thursday, Dec. 17.
The CPG Baltimore terminal plans to stop deliveries around 12:00PM today to have time to get trucks off the road, all loads secured, and the yard prepared for snow removal operations.
Impact to New York - New Jersey
NJ is bracing for the storm to arrive late in the afternoon on Wednesday, December 16. Snowfall is expected beginning around 6:00PM. The heaviest accumulations are expected to occur between 8:00PM and midnight, with 2” – 3” of snow falling per hour. Overnight, the wind will pick up with 40mph sustained winds expected.
Due to empty restrictions in PA, CPG owner-operators are planning on morning deliveries only, followed by port pulls. The goal is to have all owner-operators off the road no later than 4:00PM to lock down the yard and prepare for snow removal operations. The focus today is return of empty containers and exports as well as Last Free Day (LFD) mitigation.
APM Terminal and GCT Bayonne have announced they will close their gates at 3:00PM today, Dec. 16, to ensure they are cleared of traffic for snow removal operations.
All Marine Terminal Gates at the Port of NY & NJ will be CLOSED on Thursday, Dec. 17 in order to clear the terminals of snow. The Truck Service Center will also be CLOSED on Thursday, with plans to reopen on Friday as conditions permit.
NY/NJ Saturday, Dec. 19 Hours By Terminal:
- APMT OPEN 6:00AM-3:00PM
- Maher Terminals OPEN 7:00AM-3:00PM
- PNCT OPEN 7:00AM-3:00PM
- GCT NY OPEN 8:00AM-2:00PM
- GCT Bayonne has no plans to open on Saturday at this time.
Impact to Buffalo
Buffalo, NY is not expecting to get hit with this storm, however, the roads linking upstate and the ports will be untravellable. All drivers are aware of the conditions and will proceed accordingly.
Commitment to Safety
Maintaining the safety of our fleet is our highest concern. In an over abundance of caution, CPG Newark and CPG Baltimore will not be sending trucks south or west into the storm and will advise of any cancellations. CPG Buffalo will send trucks south early on Wednesday but cancel all trips south on Thursday, as the storms will dump major accumulation on the roadways between New York State and New Jersey.
We will not risk the health and safety of the fleet with a storm this large and covering such a wide area with such varying degrees of weather risks. We appreciate your patience as we work through these inclement conditions.
Questions? Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding this alert, please contact your local CPG representative or reach out to Rob Movshin, VP Northeast Region at rob.movshin@containerport.com.