Ultimately, the processes involved are extremely complex. I'm sure if you have extremely sufficient snow growth production that can offset stronger winds. I don't recall what the winds aloft were that day but the winds with this will be a completely different magnitude. I also would think wind at cloud level will be much stronger than Jan 16 too.
I do agree, I think the wind can get overstated at times when talking about being a hinder to ratios and snowgrowth but this would be a whole other level of magnitude that IMO winds would absolutely impact growth and ratios.