Now that I'm thinking about it again. It was a more central Pacific la Niña, which had no business doing what it did. However, it did have a +PDO. I've read some recent research which does show that to be an important factor indeed. Which is because it can modulate the wave driving from enso. So I'm guessing it played a major role actually when I think about it. I never really used to think much of the PDO. I always viewed it as more of an indicator of the previous seasons pattern, but it is actually quite important in it's own right apparently.