Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday declared a state of emergency in four counties along the Jersey shore as a blizzard hit the state.

In a tweet, the governor said he had made the emergency designation for Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean and Monmouth counties.

"Please stay off the roads and stay sheltered and warm," he said.

Declaring state of emergency in Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean & Monmouth Counties. All state offices will now be closed. Please stay off the roads and stay sheltered and warm. — Governor Christie (@GovChristie) January 4, 2018

On Wednesday evening, Christie ordered a two-hour delayed opening for state offices but made the call to close them Thursday morning as conditions worsened around the state.

The governor ordered all "non-essential" employees who are not involved in the response to the storm to stay home. Leaders in the state Legislature also canceled voting sessions scheduled for Thursday.

The emergency declaration means people should stay off the roads so they do not interfere with law enforcement and emergency responders.

The National Weather Service early Thursday was predicting a wide range of potential snowfall across the state, from as little as 1 inch in northern New Jersey to up to 18 inches along the Jersey Shore.

State emergency management officials have the power to redirect traffic or close roads to protect public safety, according to state law. Local, county and state authorities can close roads or cut off access to shopping centers or business plazas if conditions become dangerous.

The governor may declare government offices closed, but he cannot compel individual private businesses to shut down operations. An emergency declaration doesn't mean motorists will be ticketed for merely being on the roads.

Declaring a state of emergency also allows states to qualify for federal funds that can be used for immediate response and recovery.

Garden State residents may consult the state's emergency preparedness website, www.ready.nj.gov for further information. Information about road conditions will be available at the New Jersey Department of Transportation website: http://www.511nj.org/

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.