New Jersey has declared a State of Emergency ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the region Friday evening.
The declaration went into effect at 1 p.m. for all 21 counties.
“This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel,” Acting Gov. Tahesha Way said. “We are urging travelers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads. Drivers should plan their travel accordingly, monitor conditions and road closures, and follow all safety protocols.”
According to AccuWeather, light snow will develop between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., becoming steady throughout the evening. As warm air lifts over colder air at the surface, some areas will see a transition from snow to sleet.
NJDOT crews have already been activated ahead of the storm. A commercial vehicle restriction for tractor-trailers, empty CDL trucks, RVs, motorcycles, and passenger vehicles pulling trailers goes into effect at 3 p.m. for I-78, I-80, I-280, I-287, and Route 440.
The restrictions do not apply to the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway or Atlantic City Expressway.
While many people are preparing to stay indoors as conditions worsen, some workers say staying home simply isn’t an option.
“I mean, it just snowed. So, really, the worst thing is preparing everything for driving in the snow because I work on the weekends. So I’m gonna have to work in the morning,” said Ashley Bacote of Williamstown.
Road crews across the state spent the afternoon readying highways and local streets for what could be a long night of plowing and salting.
In Trenton, salt was loaded into trucks as public works crews began pretreating roads.
“We have been prepping our streets with brine all through east, west, and north Trenton,” said Hector Weah, assistant director of public works for the city. “Our guys came out and we are spraying brine all through in preparation for the snow.”
The New Jersey Department of Transportation has also called in crews and contractors to support snow-removal operations.
Some residents, especially children on winter break, are hoping the storm brings enough snow to enjoy the season.
“I’m excited for the snow. I hope it coats the ground enough that we can all sled,” said Danielle Feldman of Delran.
The State of Emergency will remain in effect until officials determine that conditions have improved.
For the latest AccuWeather forecast, visit 6abc.com/weather.