Ahh a mechanical engineer, you work at any of the companies in Manchester? Well you've gone through a number of the classes I have (thermodynamics, physics, probably fluid dynamics, etc.), so you should understand the complexities in numerical weather prediction and how it can vastly differ from simulations engineers utilize.

The better meteorologists in our field do read between the lines and leverage the basics taught in college, however the issue overnight differs from other scenarios where people just rip a model forecast like lemmings. Coming into this, there was decent confidence probabilistically that the 700 mb warm front clears into NH, so the ensemble blend of forecasts (or simulations) agreeing on this. When it becomes apparent 3-5 hours prior to snow starting that the front won't clear, well you're screwed.

I'm happy to rationally defend my thinking and explain complexities like a competent meteorologist should, but I won't sit here and let my above-average skillset be chalked up to some "dick sucking, righteous asshole".