Up until a generation or two back, when northern areas got snow storms each year it wasn’t a big surprise. It snowed in the north, sometimes a lot, sometimes not so much. The people who lived there expected it and were mentally prepared for it.
When it snowed they just got out the tobaggans and snow shovels and took it easy until the snow stopped and the plow trucks could make their rounds. But only the main streets and roads got plowed. If you had to go someplace in a car you put on the tire chains or waited until the snow melted or got beat down by traffic.
Now when it snows it is portrayed as a major disaster and often does become one. So many people seem to be surprised and ill prepared at each snowstorm, year after year, even though there is much more warning and better forecasting today than in years past.
Yeah, all the local news stations have “Weather Storm Teams” now.