Governor Tom Corbett today declared a statewide disaster emergency to enable state, county and municipal governments to respond effectively to the impact of Hurricane Sandy.

The storm, which will likely begin to impact the state on Sunday evening, is expected to bring heavy rain to much of the state, and even snow in some areas of southwestern Pennsylvania and in higher elevations. Flooding and power outages are also anticipated, and could last for several days. Sustained high winds will likely contribute to damage across the state as well.

The proclamation authorizes state agencies to use all available resources and personnel, as necessary, to cope with the magnitude and severity of this emergency situation. The time-consuming bid and contract procedures, as well as other formalities normally prescribed by law, are waived for the duration of the proclamation.