Saratoga Springs, N.Y. — A winter storm is impacting a nearly 1,600 mile stretch from Minneapolis to Maine. Cities including Chicago, New York and Boston have had to deal with a mix of snow, ice and rain before an overnight freeze.

It wasn't the season's biggest storm, but for those caught in the wall of wintry mix it packed a wallop. Highways from the Midwest to the northeast were littered with cars that couldn't hold up to the icy roads, leaving some 55 million people in its grip.

Ice encapsulated street signs in Chicago, while forcing pedestrians to dodge the ice falling from skyscrapers. For many, the most basic of tasks, like walking to school became difficult.

As road conditions were beaten and tested, so was air travel. A total of 2,400 of flights were canceled with an additional 4,500 delayed.

Before it's all over, the storm would drop as much as five inches of snow in parts of New England. But for people used to getting socked, it's nothing they weren't ready for.

Even with this storm, it's been a relatively quiet winter. Boston has gotten nearly three inches of snow so far this year. The city had around 29 inches this time last year.