'Code Blue' For All Essex County Towns For 4 Days: What It Means

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Worried you might lose heat amid the cold snap? Or do you know someone who needs shelter? Essex County has activated a "Code Blue" from this Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. through Saturday morning at 8 a.m.

In the Essex County area, temperatures are expected to drop as low as 6 degrees Friday night.

Almost every county in New Jersey has now activated the "Code Blue" status for either this Wednesday or Thursday, and lasting several days. What this means is that free warming centers have been opened for people who need shelter from the cold — whether because of inadequate heating, power loss, or homelessness.

For Essex County, most listed warming centers are in Newark, with one in Irvington and one for women only in Montclair. The list is here, and can be expanded.

A Hazardous Weather Outlook issued for Essex County says, "A dangerously cold air mass is expected to settle over the region Friday and Saturday. Wind chill values during this time may fall to as low as 10 to 20 below zero for coastal locations, and 25 below in the interior."

Warming centers across NJ will be open: http://nj211.org/njcodeblue.