Storm warning: It's mostly about the ice

Ice, some snow, and possible outages are in the forecast now through Tuesday night, according to a storm warning by the National Weather Service. Some local areas could pick up more than a quarter of an inch of ice, which is particularly concerning for areas that had already been affected by ice during the previous storm. About 2 to 4 inches of snow are expected in Sussex County in addition to a mix of rain, sleet, ice pellets, and icy build up.

Cars, driveways, and parking lots may be covered with ice when residents go to their cars tomorrow. Many local schools have a delayed opening on Tuesday. Sparta, Stanhope, Newton, Byram and Stanhope Public Schools and Lenape Valley Regional have a two-hour delay opening on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Hopatcong Schools have a 90-minute delayed opening.

From Byram Public Schools:

All bus pick-ups will be approximately 2 hours later than the usual time. The Intermediate School and the Lakes School will both open at 10:40 a.m. The morning preschool session will run from 10:40 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. The afternoon preschool session will run from 1:15 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. Also, the morning sessions for Helping Hands at the Lakes School and the morning sessions for Skills Based Extra Help at the Intermediate School are cancelled.

From the National Weather Service:

*A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday.

* Heavy mixed precipitation. Snowfall tonight will become freezing rain towards daybreak Tuesday and freezing rain continues through Tuesday. Additional snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches and ice accumulations of up to one quarter of an inch.

* IMPACTS...Plan for slippery road conditions, impacting Monday morning and evening commutes.

Snow tonight will mix with sleet and freezing rain late, then will change to predominantly freezing rain early Tuesday morning. Freezing rain continues through Tuesday and may briefly change to snow before ending Tuesday evening.

NJ recommendations:

If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water iyour vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

From ready.gov:

-Stay indoors during the storm. Prolonged exposure to cold can cause hypothermia.

-Walk and drive carefully on icy sidewalks and roads. Many injuries and accidents are caused by slippery conditions. Before driving, let someone know your destination, route, and expected time of arrival. If your car gets stuck, it’ll be easier to find you.

-When shoveling snow, take breaks and lift lighter loads. Working to hard to shovel can lead to a heart attack. Stay dry. Wet clothes make you lose body heat, increasing your risk of hypothermia.

Power outages:

JCP&L and SREC state they're monitoring the storm and ready to respond. Residents are asked to contact their power company in case of outage: Do not assume the company will know of the outage or downed wires without being alerted. Keep batteries, flashlights, handy. Take special care to avoid any downed wires.

To report outages:

@PSEGdelivers 1-800=436-PSEG.

@JCP_L 1-888-544-4877.

@ACELecConnect: 1-800-833-7474.

Trash pick up:

Sparta Police advise that Blue Diamond will not pick up both garbage or recycling on Tuesday, due to the storm. Regular service will resume on Wednesday.