Cat in a snowstorm

I just got my cat 3 days ago. My uncle couldn't take care of him anymore so I said I'd take him. Now that being said, this cat has always been allowed outside but I live by a busy street and decided to make him an indoor cat at least until he got used to where he was living. But the day after I got him one of my roommates accidentally let him outside. At first I thought he was scared and hiding in the house but this morning I saw him outside across the street in a neighbors yard. So I ran over to try and get him and he ran away from me. Now it's been two days since he got out and there is supposed to be a fairly big snowstorm coming in tomorrow and I am really worried I won't ever see my kitty again. I've been leaving food and water out which seems to be getting eaten but there are other stray cats in our neighborhood.. Any advice or thoughts? I am really worried....

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

You may need to get some help from a humane organization with a trap/fix/release program to trap your cat for you.  Or, you can try trapping him yourself with a Hav-A-Heart trap in which you have placed really delicious food such as chopped chicken.  Try and enlist your neighbors to help also.  Put up flyers with the cat's description on them and offer a small reward.