Nearly 1,000 Morris County JCP&L Customers Without Power as Acting Governor Way Declares State of Emergency

Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding are expected statewide, with up to 7 inches of rain possible and widespread power outages already reported in North Jersey.

MORRISTOWN, NJ - Nearly 1,000 Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) customers in Morris County were without power Thursday as Acting Governor Tahesha Way declared a State of Emergency across all 21 New Jersey counties in anticipation of flash flooding and severe thunderstorms.

According to JCP&L, 927 customers in Morris County were without service as of Thursday morning. Statewide, 2,181 JCP&L customers were without power out of more than 1.1 million served. The outages were largely resolved by early afternoon on Thursday, as the state and county prepared for flash flooding.

Acting Governor Way’s Executive Order No. 394 will take effect at 2:00 p.m. on July 31, 2025. It closes state offices early and authorizes resources to be deployed throughout the state as the storm intensifies.

“Beginning this afternoon, we are expecting severe thunderstorms to bring heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts with the potential for flash flooding across the state,” Way said. “I urge all New Jerseyans to remain alert, follow all safety protocols, and monitor the proper channels for the duration of these storms. Residents should remain off the roads and indoors unless absolutely necessary.”

Forecasters predict rainfall totals of 1–3 inches across much of New Jersey, with some areas potentially receiving 5–7 inches. The National Weather Service warns of possible landslides, rockslides, and flooded roadways due to the intensity of the storms.

Residents are encouraged to monitor updates at ready.nj.gov and follow local forecasts. Northern New Jersey and New York Metro area residents can visit the U.S. National Weather Service New York office at weather.gov/okx, while Central and Southern New Jersey residents can visit the Philadelphia/Mount Holly office at weather.gov/phi.