A state of emergency is declared for all 21 New Jersey counties later Tuesday, as the second significant winter storm of the season threatens extreme flooding and wind damage across the entire metro region.
Gov. Phil Murphy said the order would go into effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday, allowing resources to be deployed around the state for the length of the storm. Between Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday, the tri-state area is predicted to receive 2 to 4 inches of rain. This comes on top of the foot-plus of snow that fell in some areas over the weekend and as parts of New Jersey continue to battle to recover from last month’s flooding.
“This storm will exacerbate the effects of the inclement weather we experienced in December and this past weekend, and it may be followed by another storm Friday night,” Murphy, a Democrat, said in a statement. “As always, I urge all New Jerseyans – including residents in our coastal and riverine communities – to follow all safety protocols and remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary.”
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh announced a state of emergency on Tuesday evening. A Red Cross shelter will open at 60 Temple Street for residents who wish to evacuate their houses ahead of the storm. High-water vehicles and water rescue boats are on standby to help with the rescue of residents if necessary.
In adjacent Newark, public safety officials issued a list of frequently flooded crossings that people should avoid.
Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York issued no such emergency proclamation, but encouraged residents to prepare for catastrophic flooding and power outages. Those expected power outages include New York City, which was just added to the National Weather Service’s strong wind alert Tuesday morning. Check out the most recent neighborhood notifications.
Though there was no statewide declaration, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine did declare a local state of emergency for his Long Island counties, which were expected to experience high winds throughout the storm.