I really would have been ok had it cancelled after I got to the airport and before I boarded and I would not have even bothered to try if the flight was full but I'll just add this experience to another possible outcome of what can go wrong. As for the return flight, I was planning on spending the week so the back log should have cleared.

Think I'll avoid Jan nonrev travel when possible from now on. Last year, I had to overnight in MIA and got the last flight back to NY just before another winter storm which turned in to a dud.