New Jersey declares state of emergency ahead of overnight winter storm

NEW JERSEY, USA - MARCH 07: A snow plow clears snow-covered road as snow falls in Weehawken, New Jersey on March 07, 2018. Storm alerts for New York, New Jersey and surrounding states were reported. (Photo by Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday issued a State of Emergency ahead of a winter storm that could bring up to a foot and a half of snow to parts of the state. 

The order, which includes an interstate restriction on commercial vehicles, goes into effect at 10 p.m. Thursday. 

Forecasters expect the snow to begin west of Philadelphia around 7 p.m. and engulf the region overnight. Most of New Jersey can expect to see 2-4 inches of fresh snowfall, including Philadelphia suburbs and areas along the I-95 corridor. 

A narrow snow band will set up along interior parts of New Jersey and dump between 4-6 inches on parts of central and southern counties before dawn. 

Forecasters expect the snow to end before the Friday morning commute, but untreated roads could be slick. 

Several schools have already announced closures and delays for Friday. You can check your school's status on FOX 29's School Closings page.

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