Take the snowstorms seriously, NJ — my home was almost destroyed

As I’m sure you’re well aware, New Jersey just experienced one of its most intense snowstorms in decades.

There were hundreds of thousands of power outages, schools were closed for multiple days, and snow totals (or as I like to call them, “snow-tals”) were shocking, with some places seeing over two feet of snow.

The blizzard of 2026

In the town where I grew up, Freehold, there was a reported “snow-tal” of 26 inches.

That’s over two feet of snow in just slightly over 24 hours, which is bonkers.

The massive snowfall, combined with the harsh winds lead to something that could have destroyed my childhood home.

My parents woke up Monday morning thinking everything seemed snow-covered but normal… until my dad noticed that the bathroom seemed darker than usual.

Perhaps it was because this was blocking the window.

The elements created a perfect storm at some point in the night, causing a gigantic tree to topple over.

The tree, which is taller than the house itself, could have destroyed my childhood bedroom, the living room below it, and much more of my parent’s house.

Had anyone been in the room in this scenario it would have been disastrous.

This was a completely jarring reminder that we need to take these storms seriously when we know they’re coming. Don’t assume that you’re stronger than Mother Nature.

Take a look at what other New Jerseyans experienced during this monumental storm.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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