State Of Emergency Declared In Ocean County Ahead Of Storm

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — Ocean County is one of five counties that have been placed under a state of emergency ahead of a storm that is expected to bring heavy snow and gusting winds to the area on Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Sunday night.

Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, and Cumberland counties are also covered by the state of emergency for the storm, which is expected to last from early Monday morning through late Monday afternoon, officials said.

The declaration allows resources to be deployed throughout the impacted areas during the duration of the storm.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for those five counties Sunday afternoon from 4 a.m. through 4 p.m. Monday, warning that the storm could bring 4 to 6 inches and possibly more to the southeastern part of New Jersey.

"The anticipated winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow, wind gusts, and coastal flooding in parts of Southern New Jersey," Murphy said. "Residents should stay off the roads, remain vigilant, and follow all safety protocols."

The forecast Sunday evening was for snowfall in excess of 1 inch per hour during the heaviest part of the storm.

"Even though roads may initially remain above freezing, higher snowfall rates will still lead to roads eventually becoming snow-covered in areas under warnings or advisories," the weather service said.

While the sun is expected to return on Tuesday, snow is in the forecast for much of the rest of the week. Below is the forecast for the rest of the week, according to the National Weather Service:
Monday

Snow likely, mainly before 2 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 34. North wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches is possible.

Monday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 17. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday

Sunny, with a high near 35. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Wednesday

A chance of snow before 9 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., then a chance of rain after 10 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Thursday

Partly sunny, with a high near 40.

Thursday Night

Snow likely, mainly after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Friday

A chance of snow before 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 20.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 34.

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 25.

Sunday

A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

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