Not necessarily as its didn’t get to its current size in one season
It sure as hell didn't get to its current size living outdoors for years in New Jersey. Even the article says that its likely that it was a pet, obviously owned by an idiot, who released it into the wild.
There is no way that this animal survived last winter living outdoors.
Yes we have snakes here in MTNs NC and they go underground in winter...10-15 below -0- about once a winter...otherwise mild winters.
That said, the snakes come out every summer to play, so why would that big one be any different...I am not a snake person but know they don’t all die in winter.