Nor'easter Causes Increase in Matawan-Aberdeen Power Outages

Matawan and Aberdeen residents woke up Thursday morning to a winter wonderland.

The first snow of winter is often a welcome sight, however in an area still recovering from Sandy's wrath the frost-tipped trees were a symbol of more power outages in Matawan and delayed recovery efforts in both communities.

Thursday morning, the total number of customers without power increased from 1,569 to 2,518 over night. In Matawan, outages increased to 1,678 from 699. In Aberdeen, the number remained relatively stable, dropping from 870 to 840.

"Last night's storm caused signifigant additional outings within the Borough. I just met with Mayor Buccellato whom has been in touch with JCP&L executives this morning," Matawan Lt. Jason Gallo shared on the department's Facebook. "They advised they have dispatched crews to our area to address this latest issue."

Although patience is wearing thin for many residents still living in the cold with a flashlight permanently in their hand, the number of outages in the area have decreased dramatically since Monday. Three days ago, 3,004 customers in Matawan and 4,309 customers in Aberdeen were without power.

Matawan and Aberdeen also faired better during the nor'easter than some neighboring municipalities. The number of outages in Marlboro spiked to 6,500 overnight.

Aberdeen Township will hold a public information meeting Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Aberdeen Township Municipal Building. The township has been updating their website as well as posting on Facebook to inform residents about both storms and the recovery efforts.

Matawan Borough held a meeting at The Reception Center at St. Clement earlier this week. The police department has been updating their Facebook page to help keep residents in the loop about both storms and the recovery efforts.