There are plenty of rules, but when said rules mean snow this winter in Methuen, MA, then we learn how there are a myriad of exceptions to said rules.
I'm sure the ensemble means will gets its MOJO back when the OP amps up for a blizzard next week.
I think its also easy to get carried away with the negative inertia of recent trends and lose sight of the fact that even the 00z EURO is a major winter storm outside of I 495. I'm guilty of it myself.
I was speaking more to thermals....the usual clown suspects were relatively reserved, but that usually stingy algorithm saw something it liked. I think it speaks to the ample easterly inflow coupled with strong antecedent airmass.