COEUR d'ALENE — As Beth Hansen strolled downtown on Thursday afternoon, the raw, cold weather drew an unpleasant reaction.

"Dang that hurts," the Coeur d'Alene woman said, holding her hands to her cheeks below her watery eyes. "It looks beautiful out, but looks are deceiving."

The bitter weather is expected to persist this weekend with a kick from the wind-chill factor.

"We'll see temperatures climb to the low 30s this weekend — a little milder than it has been — but it will also be breezy, particularly on Saturday," said Press Meteorologist Randy Mann. "The 15 to 20 mph winds should take it down to the teens and 20s."

Mann said the snow that was expected to hit the area on Thursday broke up to the south and fizzled, but occasional showers are still expected throughout the weekend.

"By the time you add it all up, through Monday, we could see 6 inches down here," he said. "A lot of the heavier snow is falling in southern Idaho. We're in the deep freeze."

Mann said it may be just enough accumulation to shovel the driveways so the compact snow doesn't turn to ice.

Mann still expects we'll have a white Christmas.

"There may be some rain rather than snow before Christmas, but we should still have enough for a white Christmas," he said. "I'm not expecting a huge amount — like a foot or two — but it should be enough to carry us through."

Mann said he believes the bulk of the snow will fall between Christmas and New Year's Day.

"That is where we'll really get it," he predicted.