State of emergency possible this week — Here’s what it means

With New Jersey's biggest snowstorm in years expected mid-week, Gov. Phil Murphy could order a state of emergency.

No declaration had been made as of Monday night, but it's highly possible for a storm that could cause not just significant snowfall, but hazards on the roads and serious flooding in some parts of the state.

A state of emergency in NJ does not mean drivers have to stay off the roads. According to the state Office of Emergency Management, travel may be restricted to certain areas but a complete travel ban is rarely implemented.

It also does not mean businesses, schools or even state offices are automatically closed.

A declaration authorizes the governor to speed up assistance from state agencies to where it is needed and allows the NJ director of Emergency Management to makes "resources available for rescue, evacuation, shelter and essential commodities activate and coordinate the preparation, response and recovery efforts for the storm with all county and municipal emergency operations and governmental agencies," according to the state OEM.

Follow New Jersey 101.5 Meteorologist Dan Zarrow's weather blog and Twitter and Facebook accounts to stay in the know.

– With previous reporting by Erin Vogt