It was terribly modeled too-the night before, it was forecast to crush DCA to PHL and then turn to rain for NYC and points east. Instead it shutout places SW of Philly they woke up to partly cloudy skies-meanwhile it was all snow for most of us here with a turn to rain in RI/eastern MA.
Winters of 96-97, 97-98, 98-99, 99-00 were awful. Brutal stretch. 01-02 and 11-12 were bad but they were surrounded by good winters so took the bite off.