From the photos and the description you gave, this does seem symptomatic of winter injury. We often see the needles turn brown at the tips, but remain green at the base. Certainly with no protection from winter winds, the needles can desiccate. The University of Minnesota has a helpful article on how to protect trees and shrubs in winter: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/protecting-trees-and-shrubs-winter

To help bolster tree health, make sure to water the tree during periods of drought. You could also put a layer of mulch under the tree to help retain moisture. Water at the base of the tree and try not to get the foliage/needles wet. We recommend at least 1 in water per week through the growing season and as we move into fall. 

I would keep an eye on the tree to see if any sort of die back or needle drop occurs. There are a number of diseases and insects that affect spruces, and the tree may be more susceptible if recovering from winter injury. There are often characteristic fungal fruiting bodies, cankers or insects on the needles/branches. You can learn more about these here: Spruce problems