Some of this got me thinking how the attitude toward snow and storms has changed a) in the 28 years I've lived in the area I live in now and b) from when I was a kid, living in an inner ring suburb, next to Boston, maybe 20 miles from where I am now.
When I was a kid, we had big storms, even if we knew one was predicted, they sent us to school, and then had some scary bus rides home, when we were released early. They plowed the streets, but they were still snow covered. I lived on a little hill and basically sled down my street and a lot of others for a few days after a storm. We'd be home for days.
When I first moved back, in 1990, it wasn't much different. The first town I lived in, is about 15 miles north of where I am now, on the NH border. They canceled school a lot more, since the town had a wide geographic area and was hilly. Sometimes I had school (teaching) when my kids didn't. Now, everything is done ahead of time, with districts canceling school the night before, instead of at 5 AM. Businesses encourage employees to work from home, as does the state. Some businesses shut down. Now, even restaurants close, so their employees can be safe. Perhaps not in the city, but definitely around here. The roads are pre-treated and plowed down to the blacktop, so no opportunity to sled down the street. Yesterday, we had a storm that started around 11 am, heavy snow for a few hours, turning to rain, then ice in some places. It was predicted perfectly, and most schools had school in the morning, with early release, so the kids could get home before it got bad. That counts as a full day for the state.
But, it's like we've forgotten how to deal with the snow!