The weight of the building is supported entirely by 12 stout outer columns, which form the square perimeter of the building, plus four inner columns at the corners of a smaller, inner square.

ECONOMIST: AN ENGINEERING MYSTERY

All told, about 800, 000 square miles in 18 states were under some form of watch or warning related to the storm, Miller said.

CNN: 30 million in path of winter storm

Since the rate at which small drops sweep one another up to form large drops varies with the square of their diameter, such drops are too tiny to make rain.

ECONOMIST: Weather and pollution