I grew up in Upstate NY in an area subject to Lake Effect snowstorms (http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/t/p/tph134/WxComm2/six.htm). My hometown has an average season snowfall of about 170" per year. When we said "snowed in" we meant that there were snowdrifts blocking the doors of the house. When this happened, we went out an upstairs window and shoveled a path to the door.