It would probably have turned out to be a snowy winter too had the Japan marine heat wave abated enough and the PDO more neutral or on the positive side.
While it was our best chance for a snowy winter in years, there was indeed a 1972-73 flavor given how negative the PDO was and the ENSO-induced SE trough was more tilted to the west giving California all these atmospheric rivers and historic mountain snows.
I noticed 72-73 and mentioned it in my winter outlook, but didn’t want to emphasize it too much because well… that would’ve been a disaster. At least we avoided a total shutout thanks to that January -EPO block.