Gov. Christie declares State of Emergency for 3 NJ counties

TRENTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- New Jersey officials and utility companies continue to keep a close eye on Hermine and the potential damage the storm system could cause along the Jersey shore.

Hermine spun away from the East Coast on Sunday, removing the threat of heavy rain.

But officials say strong winds associated with the system could knock down trees and power lines, spurring outages. They also expect flooding along with beach erosion, dangerous storm surges and rip currents.

Gov. Chris Christie held a news conference Sunday to discuss preparations. He has declared a state of emergency for Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties.

Forecasters say tropical storm-force winds could whip up along the Jersey shore on Monday, and record flooding remained a threat south of the Atlantic City area.