Coeur d'Alene is nearly three years removed from its last sub-zero temperature.

That stretch is expected to end before the winter of 2016 officially begins.

The frigid cold which has recently hit the region will have even more bite this week, according to Press Meteorologist Randy Mann. Mann noted winter doesn’t even start until Dec. 21.

Coeur d'Alene, which dipped all the way down to minus 8 on Feb. 6, 2014, is expected to be in single digits this week and fall below zero Saturday. In outlying areas of Kootenai County, temperatures could drop below zero as early as today.

"It will be frigidly cold all week with the exception of Thursday morning," Mann said. "The cold air will settle in on Saturday."

More snowfall is expected Thursday as well as early Saturday. The holidays won't be devoid of the white stuff, either,

"A white Christmas is going to be pretty much a certainty," Mann said, noting the 12.2 inches that fell on Coeur d’Alene over the weekend should be well preserved by the cold.

Temperatures are expected warm up a bit next week, however, reaching as high as 32 degrees.

After Christmas, another big, white present might be delivered.

"I'm expecting a bigger storm around the new year," Mann said.