COEUR d' ALENE - There's an old comic strip about the burden of a long winter.

A man buys a house in the mountains, and in the first part of the strip he's calling the snow beautiful and heavenly as he shovels.

The next frame is the second snow, and he's only calling it beautiful.

The third time, he doesn't say anything, just shovels.

By the fourth frame, there's another snow and the house is for sale.

In Coeur d'Alene, winter doesn't seem to want to let up, either.

In the last week of February heaps of snow, ice, wind and low temperatures have pounded the region, creating treacherous conditions that could continue through next week.

Think it's time to put the house on the market?

"We used to sit in our house five months of the year just waiting for summer," said Tim Smith, getting ready to load up his snowmobiles Thursday afternoon.

After 11 years of that, he and his wife took up more winter sports this year, like snowmobiling.

"It's helped with the wait," he said.

Just over 11 inches fell in Coeur d'Alene Wednesday and Thursday.

While today and Saturday should be mostly sunny and cold, snow showers could return by Saturday evening and hang around through next week.

"It's going to be mighty, mighty cold," said Cliff Harris, regional climatologist.

Highs will be in the low 20s today and Saturday with low temperatures dipping into the negatives. By Saturday night's snowfall, the winter total could eclipse 100 inches, the third time in four years it has passed the century mark.

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday temperatures will rise, but it could still snow a few more inches. And by the end of the week it should be the rain and snow mix.

On Thursday, local school districts closed. For motorists, the last two days have been havoc.

Whiteouts have contributed to around 85 car accidents and more than 50 vehicle slide-offs, according to data from the Idaho State Police, Kootenai County Sheriff's Department and Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls police departments.

"We pretty much got our hands full right now," said KCSD Lt. Stu Miller.

One of the accidents in Post Falls was confirmed to have injuries. Both drivers were transported to Kootenai Medical Center and conditions were unknown, according to Post Falls Police.

At the end of next week, more spring-like conditions could return, Harris said.

February's snowfall could top out near 20 inches. Last February registered .3 inches for the month. March and April could see slight dustings, but as far as winter's last, big push, this could be it. The winter started with a bang when November saw a record breaking 38.3 inches that month. In between hasn't been too severe, giving this season a "bookend" feel as far as snow goes, he said.

Still, residents were up to business as usual Thursday, despite the snow.

"Punxsutawney Phil didn't tell the truth," said Diane Praten Prater about the groundhog who called for an early spring.

"That's OK, it's Coeur d'Alene," she said, running errands through the snow with her friend. "We're braving the weather."