(gentle curious music) - [Geoffrey Baer] Snowmageddon!

The Groundhog Day Blizzard.

Whatever you call it, the epic snowstorm that slammed Chicago in 2011 was unforgettable.

It all started on January 31st, 2011 as a major storm system moved across much of the United States and Canada.

When it hit Chicago, it didn't pull punches.

Over more than 40 hours, the storm system unleashed 21.2 inches of snow.

Winds reached 70 miles per hour on the lakefront.

Even the city of broad shoulders couldn't withstand such conditions, and Chicago came to a screeching halt.

Schools were closed, O'Hare and Midway airports canceled flights.

State employees were told to stay home from work, and tens of thousands of Illinoisans were left without power.

The most memorable image of the blizzard shows hundreds of cars stranded on Lake Shore Drive, partially buried under heaping snow drifts.

In whiteout conditions, on the afternoon of February 1st, commuters tried to make it home, but multiple accidents jammed the roads and brought traffic to a standstill.

The city shut down Lake Shore Drive, but hundreds of people were already stranded as the snow piled up on vehicles.

According to one New York Times story, passengers aboard a city bus bonded over crossword puzzles and shared snacks.

After several hours, some people attempted to leave on foot, but emergency responders ordered them to turn back and shelter in their vehicles.

Others made it out, leaving their vehicles behind.

Some who didn't were stuck for 12 hours before being rescued the next morning.

It took the city all day to clear the abandoned vehicles on Lake Shore Drive.

Talk about a bad commute.

In the end, the Groundhog Day Blizzard was the third largest snowstorm recorded in the city of Chicago.

Normally, this city can handle snow, but next time you hear a meteorologist tell you to stay off the roads, you might heed their advice.