I've seen research showing that it's the two years just after the nadir that give us our best blocking chances. My hunch is that the Pacific is rarely good this winter, but we will have periods where Atlantic blocking does the trick....saving us from a total ratter.
16-17 we had 48" down here, including two double-digit storms. The February event where it went from 63f on the 8th, to a wind driven Tsnow event on the 9th, was tremendous. 12"-18" statewide in CT.
So yes, we could do a lot worse than that!
Great little day hike today. Pine Mountain and the Indian Council Caves in Barkhamstead. From Pine Mt., we could make out Monadnock on the furthest horizon, which was pretty cool.
In fact, one can do a 5,000 vertical foot day-hike from the Great Gulf trailhead to the summit of Mt. W. That's tough to find in Colorado. The big climbs are amomg the Cascadian volcanoes.