The real ice storm portrayed in the film happened December 16-17 in 1973 and was named "Felix."
To prepare for the film, Ang Lee let the cast members study stacks of magazine cutouts from the early 1970s.
Although events in the film occur in November, filming actually began in the late spring. This is evidenced by an abundance of greenery in the exterior shots.
The song that Paul and Wendy are listening to in her bedroom - "I Got a Name" by Jim Croce - was released on September 20, 1973, the very day that Croce was killed in the crash of a small plane in Louisiana.