Many have a sheltered garden at the back and an external porch called a tambour that keeps the cold and snow from entering the house (they are 800 miles north of Boston).

BBC: Living in: Remote islands

"I love it, " said Jim Brennen, who spent about an hour removing snow from his Cold Spring Hills driveway and walkway.

WSJ: Slushy snow begins to taper off in NY region

Snowbirds are usually eager to get away from the cold, ice, snow and darkness, and work on their tans beneath palm trees.

FORBES: Industries And Businesses That Boom As The Snow Falls

There is a shortfall of 170, 000 high quality plastic sheets needed to improve protection from rain and snow in tents not designed to withstand the cold.

BBC: NEWS | South Asia | Quake survivors blankets appeal

Some real world advice from a continental climate about driving in severe cold and snow conditions.

BBC: Your tips for coping in a colder UK climate

Northerly situated Scandinavia, which gets some of its currents from the Arctic Circle, is home to a lot of snow and cold, with Helsinki, Finland, facing the moisture of the Baltic Sea in addition to low temperature, rating tops in both categories.

FORBES: Europe's Wildest Weather Cities