How to trade the historic blizzard

Man shoveling show following a snow storm in Buffalo last November.
Aaron Lynett | Reuters

The historic blizzard bearing down on the East Coast will likely be bullish for energy and public utility firms, if the past is any guide.

Those energy-related stocks tended to outperform in the five trading days after four inches or more of snow fell within 24 hours in the New York City area, according to Kensho, a quantitative data analytics tool used by hedge funds.