Stay off the roads and hunker down as strong winds and heavy snow lash New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday.
The first-term Democrat said there were just a few power outages as of late Monday morning, leaving about 1,500 customers without electricity. However, he added that high winds are likely to knock out power to customers people across the state heading into Tuesday.
The U.S. Postal Service said post offices were closed at noon in northern New Jersey and as far south as Edison, suspending mail service. In an email, the service said operations would resume “expected to resume as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.”
Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti warned people to stay off the roads during a news conference alongside Murphy.
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“Someone put on my remarks conditions aren't ideal. No. Conditions are dangerous,” she said.
Murphy on Sunday declared a state of emergency in order to deploy resources as needed.
He said later on Monday that all state government offices for nonessential personnel will remain closed on Tuesday.
Weather Stories
All New Jersey Transit trains and buses were suspended, except for the Atlantic City Rail Line. New York Waterway ferries also were suspended.
Trained spotters early Monday reported an inch of snow fell in Cape May County and there were 7 inches in Hunterdon County, the National Weather Service said.
A winter storm warning remained in effect until Tuesday for much of the state. Forecasters were predicting Sussex, Warren and Morris counties in the north could see additional snow accumulations of 16 to 22 inches.
The central part of the state could get an additional 10 to 15 inches.
