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Governor Christie declares state of emergency as blizzard approaches N.J. https://goo.gl/ZZZtaU #FortLeePD
 

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of a blizzard forecasters say could blanket the northern and central parts of the state with at least a foot of snow by Tuesday night.

Christie also closed state offices Tuesday, ordering all "non-essential" employees who are not involved in the response to the storm to stay home.

The governor's declaration made Monday afternoon at 5 p.m., means people should stay off the roads so they do not interfere with law enforcement and emergency responders.

"This severe winter storm is expected to produce tonight through Tuesday afternoon significant snow accumulations, winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour, freezing temperatures, widespread coastal flooding and hazardous whiteout travel conditions," Christie said in a statement. "During these threatening conditions, I urge all New Jerseyans to remain off the roads so our first responders and public safety officers can safely and efficiently handle emergency situations."

The late-season March Nor'easter is expected to arrive after midnight and dump two inches of snow an hour Tuesday morning. Steady precipitation is expected throughout the day.

Blizzard warnings issued for monster nor'easter snowstorm

Coastal flooding and whiteout conditions are also possible Tuesday

Late Monday morning, the National Weather Service in Mt. Holly recommended people who live northwest of I-95 "should be thinking about sheltering in place from around 2 AM to 2 PM. In other words no unnecessary travel."

"If you must travel, it is recommended that you have a safety packet with you, including warm clothing, bottled water and a fully charged cell phone," the weather service said. "This high impact relatively short duration nor'easter threatens to shut down many roads for a time Tuesday morning, northwest of I-95 due to snowfall rates exceeding 2inches per hour along with blowing and drifting of a relatively dry snow."

State emergency management officials have the power to redirect traffic or close roads to protect public safety, according to state law. Local, county and state authorities can close roads or cut off access to shopping centers or business plazas if conditions become dangerous.

The governor may also declare government offices closed, but he cannot compel individual private businesses to shut down operations. An emergency declaration doesn't mean motorists will be ticketed for merely being on the roads.

Declaring a state of emergency also allows states to qualify for federal funds that can be used for immediate response and recovery.

Garden State residents may consult the state's emergency preparedness website, www.ready.nj.gov for further information. Information about road conditions will be available at the New Jersey Department of Transportation website: http://www.511nj.org/

Susan K. Livio may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.