Box has legitimate concerns about the impact of "warm" air from the ocean impacting snowfall totals. At this point they are being conservative which seems to be the way to go as things stand right now.
I do not think there will be a significant pattern change until the parade of storms into the Pacific NW comes to an end. At this point it is anyone's guess when that will be.
Much like with analytics in baseball the models allow people to go searching for the answers they want to find...in other words the most favorable outcomes.
it has to be a pattern that lasts for a while...some people love snow..some people love the cold, some people only love major snowstorms....I love the cold,snow,wind, snowpack retention.
officially no BUT I guess there shouldn't be blizzard warnings in place for parts of the upper plains and midwest because it isn't officially winter...