Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday declared a state of emergency in New Jersey ahead of a fierce storm that’s expected to blast the state with flooding rains, wind gusts as strong as 60 mph, and the potential for widespread power outages.
The state of emergency goes into effect 5 p.m. Tuesday across the entire state.
“Do not underestimate this storm just because it’s rain in January and not snow,” Murphy said during a storm briefing Monday afternoon at the Statehouse in Trenton. “Trust us: This is one we have to take very seriously.”
Murphy said he would not be surprised if the storm leads to “tens of thousands” of power outages across the state, and Col. Patrick Callahan, the head of the State Police, said there will likely be substantial traffic detours throughout the state because of anticipated flooding and downed trees.
“This is one (storm) I would strongly, strongly, strongly encourage folks not to underestimate,” the governor said.
Murphy noted past storms have shown “a lot of rain and high winds, and flooding can cause not just a lot of damage but put lives at risk.”
The Weather Prediction Center says there's a "high risk" of heavy rain and serious flooding across the northern half of New Jersey and most of eastern Pennsylvania as a fierce storm takes aim at the region Tuesday, Jan. 9, into Wednesday, Jan. 10.Weather Prediction Center
The National Weather Service has issued a statewide flood watch — alerting the public about the strong possibility of flash flooding on highways, plus widespread flooding along rivers and streams — as well as alerts for high winds and coastal flooding.
States of emergencies do not ban people from the roads or require them to shelter in place. Instead, they allow the state to organize its emergency response, trigger laws to prevent price gouging, and more.
As of now, Murphy said there are no commercial vehicle restrictions on the state’s major highways, and it’s unclear if NJ Transit’s rail and bus schedules will be affected by the storm.
The governor said part of the concern is the “hours of intensity” are expected to be “right smack in the middle of the night” — meaning it would be dark, with power outages and possible water rescues.
“If you don’t have to be out between tomorrow (Tuesday) sort of early evening and Wednesday morning,” Murphy said, it’s safer to remain home.
“If you are out, please, please be careful,” he said.
Current weather radar
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Brent Johnson may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @johnsb01.
Len Melisurgo may be reached at [email protected] or @LensReality on X.