Selectmen Chair Alan Slavin has declared a state of emergency for the Town of Wareham as of 4 p.m. Monday afternoon until Wednesday.

"I cannot stress enough the potential dangers of driving under our current situation; we have many trees, telephone poles and wires down," said Slavin in a press release issued by the Wareham Police Department. There are also trees blocking roads, and tree branches and very low hanging wires. Please use extreme caution if you must venture out, especially at night."

With high winds and a potential two to three feet of snow forecasted over the next few days, Governor Charlie Baker has also issued a State of Emergency and Travel Ban for the state of Massachusetts starting at midnight.

Town Hall was closed as of 4 p.m. on Monday, and will remain closed through Tuesday.

Wareham  Public Schools will also be closed, and as of Monday afternoon, several local business had announced closings lasting through Tuesday.

The Town of Wareham has also announced that there will be a temporary shelter at the Multi-Service Center. The Warming Center is not a full shelter, and pets are not allowed. Those utilizing the shelter are advised to bring any medications they may have.

As part of the "Nights of Hospitality," a shelter at St. Patrick's Church (84 High St.) will also be open during the storm.

Southcoast Health has announced closures at its Urgent Care Center at Wareham Crossing and other sites. For a complete list of cancellations, visit http://www.southcoast.org/news/cancellations/

In an emergency, citizens are urged to call 911. All other calls should be directed to the Municipal Maintenance Department at (508) 295-5300. Calls regarding power outages should be directed to the local provider. To report an outage to NStar call 800-592-2000 or use their online Report an Outage tool.

Below is the rest of the release issued by Slavin.

"I am urging that all Wareham Residents curtail all unnecessary travel, and to avoid all downed lines during the declaration period. There is an emergency parking ban in place and will be enforced to the fullest extent the law allows."

"We will be cooperating with state and federal officials to protect life and property, and to coordinate any benefits that may become available as a result of local, state, and federal emergency declarations."

"I reiterate that your safety is our primary concern during this emergency period and that we stand ready to help you to the best of our ability.