State of Emergency Declared Ahead of Nor'easter

news image
Special Stories
6 Mar 2018 4:31 PM
New Jersey and Pennsylvania were the first states to declare a State of Emergency in preparation for the approaching winter storm.  They will likely not be the only states to enact this declaration.  As another powerful nor'easter takes aim at the Mid-Atlantic and New England areas, residents should be ready for more wind and snow.  This will lead to more power outages and hazardous travel. On Tuesday afternoon, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy proclaimed that their State of Emergency would go into effect at 8pm EST.  The northern part of New Jersey---particularly the counties of Hunterdon, Morris, Sussex, and Warren---are still cleaning up after last weekend's nor'easter. https://twitter.com/GovMurphy/status/971102402798637056 In New Jersey, a State of Emergency declaration makes state resources immediately available to local governments to help rescue, evacuate, shelter, and provide essential commodities (i.e., heating fuel, food, etc.) to residents. It may also position the state to seek federal assistance if the scope of the event exceeds the state's resources.  Governor Murphy is urging residents to stay off of roads Wednesday so as not to interfere with law enforcement and emergency responders. In neighboring Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf declared a State of Emergency for 26 counties (initially) in the eastern part of the state.  Areas near Philadelphia, Allentown, Scranton, and Harrisburg are included in this declaration.  The governor is urging all residents to be prepared. https://twitter.com/GovernorTomWolf/status/971150933911572480 A State of Emergency in Pennsylvania enables the state to quickly obtain resources to help deal with an event such as this winter storm.  If needed, this allows access to federal aid to help respond to citizens in these counties. Travel is strongly discouraged on Wednesday in eastern Pennsylvania.  In fact, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has issued a ban on certain vehicle types on several interstate highways. https://twitter.com/PennDOTNews/status/971111404513177600 Elsewhere throughout the Northeast, airlines have cancelled and delayed hundreds of flights.  Even Amtrak is expecting a disruption in rail service on Wednesday. https://twitter.com/AmtrakNEC/status/971142282819883010 Be sure to follow WeatherNation on Twitter and Facebook as we continue to track this major winter storm and its impacts. -Meteorologist Joe Astolfi
All Weather News
More
October Nor'easter Wrapping Up For the Atlantic

October Nor'easter Wrapping Up For the Atlantic

A low-pressure system that has tracked up the

14 Oct 2025 2:20 AM
California: Flooding Rain, Heavy Snow, & Isolated Tornadoes

California: Flooding Rain, Heavy Snow, & Isolated Tornadoes

It's been months since meaningful snow fell o

14 Oct 2025 2:20 AM
Flood and Severe Threat for the Southwest

Flood and Severe Threat for the Southwest

Flash flooding will continue to be possible i

14 Oct 2025 2:10 AM
Tropical Storm Lorenzo Forms in the Atlantic

Tropical Storm Lorenzo Forms in the Atlantic

The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season has thus f

14 Oct 2025 2:05 AM
Another Round of Snow for the Rockies

Another Round of Snow for the Rockies

NORTHWEST - After winter weather alerts were

14 Oct 2025 1:35 AM
La Niña Advisory Issued, Potential Impacts to Winter Precip & Springtime Tornadoes

La Niña Advisory Issued, Potential Impacts to Winter Precip & Springtime Tornadoes

La Niña was observed in September, leading to

12 Oct 2025 8:00 AM
Upgraded North Dakota Tornado Ends EF-5 Drought

Upgraded North Dakota Tornado Ends EF-5 Drought

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks,

12 Oct 2025 7:30 AM