In St louie if we get snow like that it is often layered between ice- I think its been about ten years....the city was shut down for about a week, schools were closed, the buses didnt run, nobody that didnt have to went to work. a local diner employs mostly neighborhood folk so they were open...and packed. The manager didnt bother to pass out menus, the delivery truck hadnt made it...he made a big pot o chili and served chili and coffee and beer, all night long. NObody cared that there wasnt anything else, they just had to get out of the house-especially if their electricity was out.
Our weathermen are predicting another winter like that. The freezing rain is supposed to start on Christmas eve, changing to snow over night. We wont get the bad stuff till January or February.