When I was younger I remember our snowmobile club use to put on a radar run and drag race out on lake tetonka it was always the 2nd or 3rd Saturday in January and it was about 50/50 each year if there would be enough snow on the ground for locals to tide out there
Could it be that we have more access to the internet/information? Bet you it seemed much colder and snowier back in the day with no internet or snow cams. Then again, there is a snow "emergency" for 2 inches.