About the 44 average high being +12 over what we need it to snow, it is not much more than 42 degrees, or +10, 30-50 some years ago.
Although 2 degrees can make a big difference in marginal events, let's remember that the delmarva coast had 3 or 4 bomb cyclone events that buried them in snow with blizzard conditions. Why weren't those 36 degree all-rain events, too?
Although I'm less excited about this upcoming winter, it's not all doom and gloom. Our time will come eventually.