Governor Murphy Urges Residents to Prepare for Two-Part Snow Storm

Wintry Mix of Rain and Snow Will Cause Hazardous Conditions Sunday and Monday

WOODBRIDGE – As winter weather moves into New Jersey Sunday and Monday, Governor Phil Murphy today encouraged residents to prepare for the winter storm and hazardous travel conditions. The Administration is continuously monitoring weather conditions as the holiday weekend ends and the work week begins. New Jerseyans are encouraged to prepare for messy road conditions Sunday and Monday and are strongly encouraged to use public transportation if possible.

“New Jersey is expected to receive significant snow, sleet, and freezing rain that will create hazardous implications for our commuters and roadways,” said Governor Murphy. “My Administration is closely monitoring the snow storm and deploying all necessary resources to keep our residents safe. I urge everyone to travel with caution this holiday weekend and to always use their best judgment on the road.”

“New Jersey’s transportation agencies — the Department of Transportation, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — are  coordinating our response and prepared for whatever weather comes,” NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. “If you are traveling today, plan extra time, drive carefully, and move over to give our crews and emergency responders the room to do their jobs to keep the state’s highways clear and safe.”

“Troopers are ready to assist residents and motorists across the state both on and off of the highways throughout this busy travel weekend,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police. “We encourage everyone to prepare for winter weather. Please use caution when traveling and assemble an emergency kit for use at home and for your vehicle.”

“We are in communication with the utilities and they are prepared and ready in the event of outages,” said Joseph L. Fiordaliso, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. “In anticipation of the coming weather and potential power outages, we recommend charging phones in advance and having contact information for your utility available. And, as always, never touch any downed power lines.”

“We ask our Interfaith partners to encourage their communities to make the necessary preparations and to check on neighbors throughout the storm,” said Jared M. Maples, Director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. “Additionally, if you ‘See Something, Say Something.’  Please report any suspicious activity to our Counterterrorism Watch Desk by calling 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ (866-472-3365) or emailing tips@njohsp.gov.” 

Important Tips to Remember When Preparing for Winter Weather:

• Be prepared! Visit ready.nj.gov for information on how to prepare for: home, work, and your vehicle. Have an emergency kit/go-bag for all three locations.
• Pets are family too! Remember to include them in your emergency plans. Visit animalemergency.nj.gov to find out more.
• NEVER use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds, or similar areas, even when using fans or opening doors and windows for ventilation. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can quickly build up in these areas and can linger for hours, even after the generator has shut off.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working before a storm.
• Know how to report a power outage to your utility company.
• Have cash on hand. If the power is out, so are the ATMs and credit card machines.
•  Charge your cell phones and try not to use them if the power goes out. Texting uses less power than a phone call, so send text messages to save power if possible.
• Be sure to keep an adequate amount of gas in your car.
•  Be sure to check on friends and neighbors who have access or functional needs.
• Need a warming center? Call NJ 2-1-1 or visit www.nj211.org to get connected!
• Be sure to have extra medications on hand and keep them in a water-resistant container.
• Get all of your vital records and insurance papers together now. Keep them in a water-resistant container. If you can, scan and email them to yourself so you have a copy of important numbers and policies.
• Discuss business continuity plans now. Whether you are the boss or report to a boss, discuss your game plan for continued business operations.

Here are a few tips if you must drive during or after winter weather:

• Check 511nj.org for traffic updates before you hit the road.
• Be sure to have a full tank of gas before you start your trip.
• Follow directions from local officials.
• Take it slow!
• Don’t crowd the plow! Give them plenty of room to work and never pass a snow plow on the right.
• Keep a winter weather kit in your car, containing an ice scraper, blanket, flashlight with extra batteries, bag of kitty litter, shovel and charged cell phone, as well as reflective triangles or flares, cloth or paper towels and jumper cables.

Weather: 

A mix of snow, sleet and rain will develop from south to north across the state this morning. Most areas will changeover to all rain later this morning and into this afternoon. But the higher elevations of Northwest will likely remain snow or a wintry mix. Any rain/mix will changeover to all snow Monday morning. Periods of snow will continue through the day Monday and will end Monday evening/night. Confidence on the changeover times and amounts is still low and snowfall amounts could change. Preliminary snowfall totals across the state: 6-8″ Northwest; 2-6″ Northeast; Up to 2”Central and Less than an inch South and none Coastal areas.

Stay Informed:

Follow weather news for local forecasts, warnings, and storm watches.  For those living in Central and Southern New Jersey, visit the U.S. National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly at http://www.weather.gov/phi/. For those living in Northern New Jersey and the New York Metro area, visit the US National Weather Service New York, N.Y. at http://www.weather.gov/okx/.

Follow New Jersey Office of Emergency Management on social media for important weather updates and safety information:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReadyNewJersey
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ReadyNJ
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ReadyNJ