You sort of mentioned it, but one other thing that really came home during the storm (and other events lately) is how seriously we have micro climates and micro occurrences/events around here.

For example, your point about the east side being a wreck, but things were pretty normal in downtown Seattle.

As time went on this became more and more acute. As things returned to normal, there were still pockets where they didn't have power or other services.

With the snow and ice we have been having lately, some streets and areas are completely dry and others are sheets of ice, stranding the local inhabitants.

-john