This week's winter storm fell far short of its "historic" billing, but the financial losses from the response could be much more severe. Although firm estimates will need to gauge how quickly businesses are able to reopen after a driving ban and public-transportation stop ground much of the region's economies to a halt, it is possible that over-preparation for the winter storm cost states in the Northeast hundreds of millions of dollars—with some predictions crossing $1 billion. A 2014 study from IHS Global Insight found that a major storm with "impassable" roads could have a significant economic impact with just a ... (full story)