Cold Temperatures Trigger Code Blue In Morris County

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A Code Blue Weather Emergency is in effect for Morris County through next week as the National Weather Service warns of dangerously cold temperatures, officials said.

Most of the state will get freezing temperatures as a significant winter storm event is forecast to hit New Jersey this week, according to the National Weather Service.

AccuWeather says this could be the "first widespread significant winter storm of the season and maybe years" for many in the northeast.

When the county health officer declares a Code Blue Advisory, municipalities with homeless populations, situational homeless, or transient populations are expected to activate their Code Blue response plans. Local warming centers can be found on nj211.org.

The code blue is in place between Jan. 3 and Jan. 8, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., according to officials.

The Morris County Office of Temporary Assistance can help with temporary shelter assistance, warming center assistance, rental assistance and utility assistance.

During business hours, many public libraries, shopping malls and senior centers serve as warming centers. These locations are intended to serve as a temporary location for a person to warm up, not as a shelter.

The new after-hours Code Blue emergency hotline is 2-1-1.

Here are some tips on how to keep homes safe and cope with extreme winter weather:

• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• Check all windows and doors for drafts.
• Do not leave space heaters unattended.
• Do not use generators indoors.
• Have a “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to warm up your home.

Take a look at the upcoming forecast:

Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 31. West wind around 5 mph.

Thursday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 42. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. The chance of precipitation is 2 percent.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. Blustery, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 37. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.

Saturday: Snow likely after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Saturday Night: Snow before 1 a.m., then rain and snow are likely. Low around 30. Blustery. The chance of precipitation is 90 percent.

Sunday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. The chance of precipitation is 40 percent.