New Jersey residents were urged to stay off the state’s roadways as much as possible as a powerful snowstorm blows through the state.

News 12 New Jersey crews were along Route 23 in Butler where the highway was clear of snow around 6 p.m. But within a half-hour, the road was covered in snow and conditions were slick. Snowplows were able to come along to clear some of the snow, but the precipitation was falling too quickly to make much of a dent at the height of the storm.

The plows worked to clear as much of the snow as possible before the Thursday morning commute. The nor'easter is expected to last into Thursday morning.

Drivers should use caution if they must be out on the roads and should drive as slowly as possible.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation had already put a ban on commercial vehicle traffic on many of the state’s highways as a safety precaution and to allow snowplows and salt trucks to do their work.

Over 1 foot of snow is expected in some northern parts of the state.