100 cars stranded on the Long Island Expressway
645,253 folks without power at this time 5,300 flights canceled .
Stay safe folks! 
= new reply since forum marked as read
...we got hit by a massive storm...dumped near 20 inches on the Chicago area. A buddy was stranded for over 12 hours in his car on Lake Shore Drive. He thought he could make it home and about half way there he got stuck behind an accident and there he sat from 7pm until 6am the next morning. He stayed in the car...the closest shelter was more than a mile away and the traffic was so heavy that tow trucks were useless. He was finally rescued and sent to the hospital where, fortunately, he was no worse for the wear. His car, however, was towed and he was stuck with a $300 bill to bail it out. Winter sucks...
or don't take them seriously
...they just think they're smarter. This dude was a newsman at a major broadcast operation. They think they can thread the needle just before the worst hits. I found the ultimate cure for this kind of weather...plane tickets to Arizona. 
...I think his car is in the far left lane (trying to exit at Fullerton...to no avail). That pic was taken the next morning...most people were moved to CTA buses to warm up and some ended up going to area hospitals. He's in the middle of a major city yet too far from warmth and shelter...a pretty desolate situation.
We've lucked out this winter...last weekend was the first snowfall I had to get out and shovel. The downside is we need the moisture...especially in the rural areas.
Cheers...
It was a big issue here in Milwaukee, cuz here they did not. Chicago (which is typically very much demonized here) was praised for handling it so well.
In any case, that was a big one... and we had some doozies in 2008 & 2009 as well. I definitely sympathize with the folks getting slammed with this storm. It's terrifying and overwhelming to get hit like that. Yeah... we've been very lucky this and last year but we do need it.
Lincoln Towing...I think he had to file a claim with the city and then was reimbursed. Oh...and it took about 4 hours for them to locate his car in the lot. A lot of the demonization is deserved...
Overall while these snowstorms look horrible, I'm sure the folks in the NE are like us here in the Midwest and prepared to tackle the drifts. Our streets are cleared real fast...politicians lose their jobs if they aren't. The kid in me loves these big snowstorm...the old man who has to clear the driveway thinks different...and calls the travel agent for plane tickets to somewhere warm.
Well, I am glad your friend was OK. I've heard horror stories about motorists finding their cars after that storm. I lived in the Chicago area for 14 years and up here in WI the rest so I am 100% with you on your feelings about these winter storms and the weather here in general. Thankfully, we're a hearty people here in the midwest (or so I keep telling myself)!
That's frightening.