The National Weather Service (NWS) warned (on Sunday night) that the blizzard, which plagued the Northeast United States the day after Christmas, would continue into Monday and bring an intense chill and snowfall into Monday morning.
“Low pressure off the Delaware Coast will intensify into a powerful Nor'easter tonight as it passes near Nantucket Monday morning,” the NWS announced in an 8:35 p.m. EST release on Sunday.
The storm will bring blizzard conditions from New Hampshire through Massachusetts to Rhode Island and Connecticut, the NWS said, adding that the blizzard should subside slightly Monday morning, but “strong winds will continue, especially along the coast.”
In a statement, Gov. Patrick of Massachusetts warned Bay Staters of “zero visibility, high winds, power outages, coastal flooding, and beach erosion” and said that nonessential state employees could take the day off on Monday, Dec. 27.
New Jersey Acting Governor Stephen Sweeney and Delaware Governor Jack Markell also issued states of emergencies for their respective states.
Acting Gov. Sweeney, in a press release obtained by the Cape May County Herald, called on all residents of New Jersey to “take this declaration and this storm seriously, and to stay safe, stay home, and stay off the roads.”
Bus service in New Jersey was disrupted and eventually halted Sunday night as the storm dumped several inches of snow on transportation routes.
“NJ Transit bus service will be suspended system-wide as of 8:30 p.m. Sunday due to extreme weather conditions. Customers are encouraged to check njtransit.com for updated information regarding restoration of service,” NJ Transit said in a statement, according to NJ.com.
In the First State, the post-Christmas blizzard is expected to be responsible for 8 to 18 inches of snowfall across the state of Delaware, according to Gov. Markell.
Delaware has also issued a Level 1 Driving Warning, which discourages driving unless for urgent safety, business, or health reasons, as the state’s Department of Transportation as well as the Delaware National Guard were deployed, Markell said.
