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WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 2 - Freak October Snowstorm

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - We're still counting down the top 11 Tri-State Area news stories of 2011 here at WCBS Newsradio 880 and, at number 2, we have something that doesn't usually accompany the ghosts and goblins of Halloween weekend.

WCBS 880's Wayne Cabot On The Story

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Nineteen inches of snow in October? Even WCBS 880's cautious chief meteorologist Craig Allen couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"There's no way you can play this down based upon these weather maps. Almost everything is in agreement," Allen reported.

And these flakes were falling on full foliage. All it took was a couple of inches of snow to start bringing branches down.

Hundred-year-old trees snapped like twigs. Mother Nature's mischief night was the Halloween snowstorm of 2011.

Three million people lost electricity.

"Some customers will have to wait all week before their power comes back on," said WCBS 880 morning drive co-anchor Pat Carroll at the time.

There was also not enough manpower for the power companies.

WCBS 880 afternoon drive co-anchor Wayne Cabot caught up with Jersey Central Power & Light crew at a diner in Warren County.

"You guys with the power company? What kind of shifts are you working? How many hour shifts?" asked Cabot.

"16-hour shifts," answered one of the men.

"You get a chance to go home and take a nap or where you sleeping?" asked Cabot.

"They put us up in a couple [of] motels. They had a problem getting rooms for us because there are so many people out of lights that all the customers are in the rooms," the man said.

Some were out for nine days, some even more.

Even New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie lost power at his home.

RELATED:
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 11 – Gov. Chris Christie
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 10 – Tour Bus Crashes
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 9 – Gay Marriage
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 8 – Leiby Kletzky
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 7 – Occupy Wall Street
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 6 – 9/11 Plus 10
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 5 – Tolls
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 4 – Earthquake
WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 3 – Anthony Weiner

WCBS 880 continues the countdown with the number 1 story today at 3:50 p.m. Stay tuned!

How did you fare in the snowstorm? Share your story in the comments section below!

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