NJ Declares a State of Emergency

[ped579]

TRENTON, N.J. -- The forecast for significant snow has prompted New Jersey's acting governor to declare a state of emergency.

Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, who is acting as governor while Gov. Chris Christie and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno travel out of state this week, released the following statement:

"The first action I took as Acting Governor was to receive a complete briefing on the state's storm preparations from the State Police, the Commissioner of Transportation and the Governor's Chief of Staff. We have been monitoring the situation throughout the afternoon. Based on current conditions and the forecast I am declaring a state of emergency throughout New Jersey.

"It is vital that police and public works crews are able to do their jobs. I urge all residents to take this declaration and this storm seriously, and to stay safe, stay home and stay off the roads. We will continue to monitor this storm with the help of our State Police and transportation officials."

[ped579]

It was declared at 8:09 P.M., December 26, 2010.

[Bucktail]

Thanks Paul.  Where's the best place to find more info and updates on this?

[Bucktail]

I'm looking at NJ.gov "Office of Emergency Management" page and there's nothing there.

[IrishAyes]

The report I read said that Sweeney didn't make up his mind if state offices would be open or closed. What is there to decide? State of Emergency, you HAVE to close state offices. What purpose would there be to have them open and how would he expect the employees to get there? State of Emergency = all non-emergency personell off of the roads.

I guess they are waiting til 3am to put the phone tree in effect and wake everyone up.  

[ped579]

That is just like NJ...Posting information on the sites is the elast thing they think of.  It was in a release to all the major news agencies probably by wire.  All the major news agencies are listing it now, (NBC, ABC, CB,, NJ.com, etc)  I am waiting to see what Ocean County OEM will have posted in a little while.

But for now, that is all that is being posted.  It is a wait and see if any of the state offices will be closed as this is the way they all work.  No one wants to make a decision like that till the last minute because of the money involved.

[Bucktail]

My question is, what time does this expire?  I don't understand why they don't post the specifics of this on a government run site. 

I'm not sure if I should be telling my employees to stay home tomorrow or what.   I'm not even sure if I will be able to make it in anyway. 

[IrishAyes]

The state does not have their web site updated because the state workers are off and there is no one there to do it. 

[ped579]

You would think that the states OEM would have something up but for over 25 years they have bee lacking with putting up any declarations.  I have been involved since 1980 and have been arguing that they need better communications with the general public.

But because we are not in the inner circle our complaints fall on deaf ears.  Their noses are so high that I bet they do not have any snow on them...

[ped579]

Just to give you an idea as what goes on, every County OEM has been briefed by the red phone which has been a conference call set up by the State with all 21 counties the State and the Nation Weather Service in Mount Holly.  They key in on the suggestion that the NWS has to say and make a joint decision.  I have been privy to a number of these conversation as I was Ocean Counties Coordinator of Communications for a while, and had to make sure communications was available for our county.

So all I can say is key in on what the Mt Holly office of the NWS has to say and go from there as the state and counties are doing the same thing.

Welcome to NJ...

[ped579]

Bob here is the latest discussion...

-- Highlight Changed Discussion --

-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --

000
FXUS61 KPHI 270250
AFDPHI

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
950 PM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY
AS IT MOVES NORTHEAST TO A POSITION OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST ON
MONDAY. HIGH PRESSURE IS THEN EXPECTED TO BUILD ACROSS THE REGION
AND DOMINATE THE WEATHER PATTERN FOR MOST OF THE WEEK. A COLD
FRONT MAY CROSS THE AREA LATE IN THE UPCOMING WEEKEND.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/...
-- Changed Discussion --
THE BANDING IS STARTING TO WEAKEN JUST A BIT ACROSS NORTHERN AND
CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...AS THE MID LEVEL AND SURFACE LOW PULL OUT TO
THE EAST. THE SNOWFALL FORECAST WILL NOT CHANGE...BUT THE OVERALL
INTENSITY SHOULD COME DOWN DURING THE NEXT 3 HOURS.

STATING TO SEE SOME OF THE BANDING TRYING TO WORK BACK INTO
EASTERN MARYLAND. TOYED WITH THE IDEA OF DROPPING THE WARNINGS
THERE...BUT FOR NOW WILL HOLD ON TO SEE HOW THE BAND MATERIALIZES.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR DELAWARE...AS THE BANDING IS WORKING SOUTH
BACK INTO THE AREA. IF THE BANDING DISORGANIZES DURING THE NEXT
COUPLE OF HOURS...THIS WARNINGS MAY BE DROPPED EARLY.

THE STORY OF THIS STORM IS THE BANDING...MAKING STORM TOTAL
SNOWFALL FORECASTS DIFFICULT. OVERALL...THE STORM TOTALS HAVE BEEN
SCALED BACK OUTSIDE OF THE BANDS...AND BEEFED UP IN THE BANDS.
THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING PROCESS...AND THE WARNING SCENARIO MAY
HAVE TO BE REEVALUATED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA LATE THIS EVENING.

THE WIND CONTINUES AS THE SURFACE LOW IS NOT ASTRIDE OF ATLANTIC
CITY. WOULD EXPECT THE BEST GUSTS IN THE NEXT TWO HOURS AS THE
GRADIENT MAXIMIZES. THE COMBINATION OF BANDED SNOW AND WIND WILL
RESULT IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS FOR THE NEXT 3 TO 6 HOURS.

THE ENDING TIME OF THE WARNINGS WAS CUT AS THE MAIN IMPACT SHOULD
END AFTER THE SNOW TAPERS OFF. WHILE BLOWING AND DRIFTING MAY
CONTINUE MONDAY MORNING...THE WARNINGS WERE SHAVED BACK TO FOCUS
ON THE HEART OF THE EVENT OVERNIGHT.
-- End Changed Discussion --


&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
ANY LINGERING SNOW WILL END FROM SOUTH TO NORTH DURING THE MORNING
HOURS. THE WIND WILL CONTINUE TO HOWL FROM THE NORTHWEST THROUGH
THE DAY...BUT NOT QUITE AS STRONG AS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.
THEN AS THE SUN SETS LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON...THEY WILL SUBSIDE.
WITH A SNOW COVER AND CLEAR SKIES...TEMPERATURES SHOULD DROP LIKE
A ROCK MONDAY NIGHT. COLD BUT TRANQUIL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR
BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AFTER A PERIOD OF LESS AMPLIFIED FLOW ALOFT DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE
UPCOMING WEEK...THE PATTERN WILL AGAIN AMPLIFY ACROSS NORTH AMERICA.
THE DIFFERENCE THIS TIME IS THAT UNLIKE THE PAST MONTH...WE WILL
BEGIN ON THE WARMER SIDE OF THE CHANGE THIS TIME. THIS WILL MEAN
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES BY THIS TIME NEXT WEEK AND MORE RAIN THAN
SNOW WHEN A DISTURBANCE MOVES BY.

MUCH OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL FEATURE DRY WEATHER AS HIGH
PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE EAST COAST FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT
THROUGH SATURDAY. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL BE BUILDING ON TOP OF THE SFC
HIGH...SO TEMPERATURES WILL BECOME MILDER AS THE WEEK PROGRESSES.
THE MILDER TEMPERATURES WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE HIGH TEMPERATURES
MORE THAN THE LOWS...SINCE THE CLR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL ALLOW
FOR DECENT NIGHTTIME COOLING...ESPECIALLY OVER ANY SNOW COVER. HIGHS
THU WILL BE SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. HIGHS WILL THEN BE NEAR NORMAL
FRI AND ABOVE NORMAL SAT AND SUN. HIGH IN THE MID 40S TO NEAR 50 MAY
OCCUR BY SUN.

THE STORM TO WATCH DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL BE WELL WEST OF
OUR AREA. IT WILL DEEPEN OVER THE PLAINS STATES FRI AND THEN MOVE UP
INTO CANADA NEXT WEEKEND. IT WILL CAUSE A SFC COLD FRONT TO APPROACH
FROM THE WEST SAT INTO SUN. FOR THIS REASON...AND ALIGNING WITH THE
HPC...WE HAVE INCLUDED CHC OR SLGT CHC POPS FOR SAT INTO SUN.
TEMPERATURES WILL PROBABLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL BEHIND THE FRONT
FOR THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR.

&&

.AVIATION /03Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE TAF SITES THIS
AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT.

IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO HEAVY SNOW HAVE OVERSPREAD THE TAF SITES AND
THESE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.  WINDS WILL
INCREASE DURING THE EVENING HOURS RESULTING IN AN INCREASE OF
BLOWING SNOW.

THE MAIN ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE CONCLUDED BY 06Z-08Z TIMEFRAME.
HOWEVER BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO THE DAY ON MONDAY.

CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE TO MVFR BY 10-12Z MONDAY WITH VFR
CONDITIONS EXPECTED BY LATE MORNING...UNLESS VISIBILITIES ARE REDUCED
ENOUGH DUE TO BLOWING SNOW.

OUTLOOK...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO OUR REGION FROM THE WEST AND DOMINATE
OUR WEATHER TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

&&

.MARINE...
A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE COASTAL WATERS
TONIGHT INTO MONDAY.

LATEST GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SUPPORT STORM WARNING IN COASTAL WATERS
FROM LITTLE EGG INLET NORTHWARD WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 55 KNOTS
EXPECTED. CONTINUED STORM WARNING THROUGH 23Z MONDAY...AS WIND GUSTS
WILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONGER OVER OUR NORTHERN WATERS...AND GUSTS
MAY STILL REACH 50 KNOTS MONDAY.

ELSEWHERE THE GALE WARNING WILL CONTINUE AS IS....IN EFFECT THROUGH
12Z TUESDAY FOR NOW.

WAVE HEIGHTS ON OUR OCEAN WATERS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 10 TO 13 FT
AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM LATE TODAY INTO TONIGHT...THEN GRADUALLY
LOWER AND DROP BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA TUESDAY AFTERNOON. BUMPED
SEAS TONIGHT & MONDAY ABOVE WAVEWATCH BASED ON OBSERVED CONDITIONS.

HIGH PRESSURE WILL PUSH IN FROM THE WEST TUESDAY AND DOMINATE OUR
WEATHER THROUGH THURSDAY. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO
GUST TO OVER 25 KNOTS THROUGH TUESDAY, BUT MAY DROP BELOW ADVISORY
CRITERIA TUESDAY NIGHT.  SUB-ADVISORY WINDS AND SEAS ARE FORECAST
FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
COASTAL FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FROM 02Z THROUGH 09Z TONIGHT FOR THE
OCEAN FRONT AND BACK BAYS FOR OCEAN AND MONMOUTH COUNTIES...AND ALSO
FOR THE BAYFRONT IN MIDDLESEX...FOR MINOR TO AREAS OF MODERATE TIDAL
FLOODING. CONFIDENCE IS GOOD THAT WE WILL REACH MODERATE FLOODING
LEVELS.

HAVE EXTENDED THE COASTAL FLOOD WARNING SOUTHWARD TO INCLUDE
SOUTHEAST BURLINGTON AND ATLANTIC COUNTY AS LATEST OBSERVATIONS &
GUIDANCE SUPPORT THEM REACHING MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING CRITERIA ON
THE UPCOMING HIGH TIDE.

FURTHER SOUTH...POSITIVE ANOMALIES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE AS HIGH
AS WINDS WILL NOT BE AS STRONG. EVEN SO...ANOMALIES OF PLUS 2 FEET
ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING...SO A COASTAL FLOOD
ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE TONIGHT.

ADDITIONAL TIDAL FLOODING AFTER TONIGHT/S HIGH TIDE CYCLE IS LESS
LIKELY...AS THE OFFSHORE WIND FLOW WILL ALLOW DEPARTURES TO
LOWER...ALTHOUGH WATER LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH.

&&

.PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST MONDAY FOR PAZ054-055-
     060>062-067>071.
NJ...BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 9 AM EST MONDAY FOR NJZ008-010-012>014-
     020-022>027.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST MONDAY FOR NJZ001-007-009-
     015>019-021.
     COASTAL FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EST MONDAY FOR NJZ012>014-020-
     022-025>027.
     COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EST MONDAY FOR NJZ023-024.
DE...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST MONDAY FOR DEZ001-002.
     COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EST MONDAY FOR DEZ003-004.
     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST MONDAY FOR DEZ003-004.
MD...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST MONDAY FOR MDZ008-012-015-
     019-020.
MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR ANZ430-431-452>455.
     STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST MONDAY FOR ANZ450-451.

&&

$$
SYNOPSIS...MIKETTA
NEAR TERM...HAYES
SHORT TERM...MIKETTA
LONG TERM...O`HARA
AVIATION...SZATKOWSKI
MARINE...SZATKOWSKI
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...SZATKOWSKI

[IrishAyes]

All non-essential state workers, 2 hour delayed opening...essential state workers, report regulat time.

[ped579]

The way I read it Bob is that the storm will be stopping from South to north and the best time to see the end of the major snow fall is from 0600Z to 0800Z. Than the major clean up will take place.

I am sure that many of the stations will be spewing the declaration by then.  Good luck in your decision.  You might want to call your local office of Emergency Management for suggestions or the Police Department.