Dave Sisco's SUV was parked in his drive Monday, where a patch of sun fell on his face. He was trying to find a spot warm enough for a nap after a cold, sleepless night. The 58-year-old Pompton Lakes resident said he had wanted to sell his home for years, but a recent stroke left him needing to remain near the local hospital.
"It's terrible, very terrible. No power. No gas. Food in the refrigerator is no good. Sleeping in 27 degrees, and we're still not recovered from the flood. The house is still a wreck. Trees are still down in the backyard, our gazebo is smashed," Sisco said.
Saturday's nor'easter forced the closure of dozens of schools and left about 400,000 customers still without electricity Monday afternoon. Gov. Christie said utility damage was worse than that caused by Irene, which left one million customers without power. The governor said 95 percent of power should be restored by Thursday.
Town officials in the region worried that cleanup would stretch already-depleted budgets to the breaking point.
"No communities budget for any kind of storm this early," said Scott Heck, borough manager and public works director for Ringwood, where hundreds of trees were toppled. "This is absolutely going to affect our budget. Normally you come in and plow the snow, but now you have to plow to get to the trees, clear the trees, come back to do more plowing and then clear away all the debris."
The power outages forced some to take refuge in makeshift shelters, including one in the gymnasium at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Hackensack.
"Since I came here it's been crisis," said Hossam Shahin, 19, from Egypt. "First earthquake, then hurricane, now snowstorm. Everything is strange and weird because we never had hurricane and snowstorm in Egypt."
Those taking it the hardest were the New Jersey residents still reeling from Irene.
"Honestly it's a nightmare, but I pray it will turn out for the best," said Mercedes Hidalgo of Pompton Lakes.
