UPDATE: More Snow Coming; More Critics Pounce On Christie, Forecasters For Blizzard Hype

More critics have been piling on Gov. Chris Christie, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and forecasters Wednesday for issuing travel bans, making false predictions or taking other strong steps in response to the blizzard-that-wasn’t.

The criticism comes just as outlets such as the Weather Channel and the National Weather Service are saying that more snow - perhaps 1 to 3 inches - could be coming New Jersey’s and Pennsylvania’s way on Sunday.

The National Weather Service has even issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook, saying that light snow will fall across New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania on Thursday and Friday, but a bigger storm with a snow-and-rain mix will be coming Sunday night and Monday morning.

Christie banned travel on all New Jersey roads after 11 p.m. Monday, and television commentators took to the airwaves early Tuesday, questioning why the governor didn’t end the ban until 7:30 a.m. since between 2 and 8 inches fell across the state.

Christie has taken heat lately for spending nearly half of last year out of New Jersey in what appears to be a not-so-secret run for president in 2016. This week, he formed a political action committee that appears aimed at his national ambitions.

Meteorologists took to Twitter to apologize for their predictions Tuesday while Christie defended his decisions.

The New York Times jumped into the fray Wednesday, with a column entitled: “We Dodged Icy Doom. Let’s Gripe/De Blasio, Cuomo and the Blizzard Response.”

While he didn’t necessarily blame the public officials for the actions they took, columnist Frank Bruni noted Christie’s recent detachment from New Jersey’s public scene, and how that may have played a factor in his decision-making:

“And we marveled that Chris Christie was even present in New Jersey. He spent months gallivanting around the country collecting i.o.u.s for a presidential campaign, then thundered home just in time to close roads and prophesy disaster? What a storm queen.

“That’s one perspective, and a sizable share of the cynicism is warranted. These guys are showboats who always preen and play the angles. It’s called getting elected.

In an article entitled, “Blame De Blasio and Cuomo and Christie for the Blizzard Snow Job,” Time magazine said:

“On Monday, as Governor Cuomo, Governor Christie, and Mayor de Blasio rushed to out-serious each other, New Yorkers were whipped into a fear frenzy. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare, photos of Whole Foods depleted of kale circulated, and people stocked up for what would likely be days (maybe weeks!) indoors.

“As we waited for the storm deemed “historic,” the only real history was made when the subway shut down for the first time ever in preparation for snow. The real insult came when it was reported later that the trains were indeed still running,empty, as trains needed to keep moving to clear the tracks. Citibike was shut down. Cars were banned from the roads and anyone who didn’t take heed risked being fined.

In an editorial entitled “The Blizzard was a Fizzard,” The Asbury Park Press said:

“Gov. Chris Christie, at his news conference this morning, didn’t miss an opportunity to lay the blame on the media for the pre-storm hysteria. In response to a reporter, who said, “And there are going to be a lot of critics saying that perhaps there was too much done for this storm. What would your response be to that?” Christie replied, “Well, my response would be we were listening to all of you. You know, the fact is that you were working off the same information we were working off.”

Democratic State Committee John Currie reacted to reports that Christie had formed a political action committee, just as the snowstorm was about to hit New Jersey:

“After 137 days out of state last year, blatant and unethical efforts to cozy up to radical conservatives and wealthy donors alike, Chris Christie’s national ambitions come as news to no one. It is, however, ironic that while New Jersey braces for major snow storm, Chris Christie is focusing on new ways to shovel campaign cash into his pockets.”

“In the past year -- and as federal investigations into the Christie administration’s misdeeds continue -- most of New Jersey have come to recognize that Chris Christie has done far more harm than good. This foolish escapade does not change the fact that he broke his promise to pensioners, neglected Sandy survivors, undermined the economy, wasted billions on failed corporate subsidies and increased property taxes on New Jersey families. That is why many of us are torn between wanting him to stay and do his job, and just wanting him to get lost.”

The reaction on Twitter was strong: