The declaration means the State Director of Emergency Management can coordinate all preparation, response and recovery efforts for the storm with all county and municipal emergency operations and governmental agencies.
Governor Christie also announced the closing of state offices on Thursday, February 13th for all non-essential employees.
"I've authorized state officials to continue all necessary actions, and my Administration will monitor conditions throughout the remainder of the storm. I encourage all New Jerseyans to drive carefully and remain off the roads if possible so that our first responders and public safety officials can safely respond to any emergency situations," said Governor Christie.
Wednesday night's storm is expected to continue into Friday morning, bringing heavy snow, freezing temperatures and mixed precipitation, as well as dangerous and icy conditions that will affect travel throughout the state for several days. A potential mixture of fallen trees, power outages and flooding is anticipated.
