So there is a difference this year on three fronts.  The first has to do with the weather itself, and the second is the situation in the U.S. and the world.  Throughout history winter has been (at times) so severe as to cause large numbers of deaths and great hardships.  Throughout history warfare has been conducted during the winter months after the harvest has been taken in.  Between you and I, the harvest is being taken in, and the whole world has been on the brink of war for quite some time.  The third front: in the U.S., with the election.

Weather, War, and Domestic Issues Could be a Recipe for Disaster

Let's address the weather portion first. Think Progress posted an article on the polar vortex shift that will affect our winter considerably.  The polar vortex is usually "confined" to an area around the North Pole.  It is a gigantic, constantly-moving system of air that is circulating and swirling.  As the site mentioned, the last polar vortex shift affected more than 200 million people in 2014.