Last colder than avg winter for Buffalo was 2017-18. However, it was the only 1 of the previous 9 winters that was colder than average (1 other winter, 2018-19, was very close to avg). However, 8 of the 13 winters prior to that were colder than average.
In Detroit we only have to go back to 2021-22 to find a colder than avg winter. Only 2 of our past 9 winters were colder than average (and another 2 were very close to average) but 9 of the 13 winters prior to that were colder than average.
Im feeling good about the upcoming winter here, esp snow-wise. El Nino to La Nina transition is normally just what the snow lover ordered in the Great Lakes. It usually comes with some rainstorms and aggravating snowpack-depleting thaws, but Ninas are rarely boring winters.