Local and national meteorologists are calling for a late blast of chilly conditions this weekend, bringing what many believe will be a merciful end to a long but relatively mild winter. It’s an end that Tim Martin of the Coeur d’Alene Streets and Engineering Department says he’s willing to believe when he sees it.

“I’m always nervous about winter and what it brings to this department,” Martin said.

The Streets Department is responsible for — among other critical city tasks — snow removal. This year’s first sticking snow fell on Sept. 29. While a mid-March snowfall is uncommonly late, even if the plows need to run Martin said he doesn’t expect it to add terribly to the year-to-date costs of running the plows.

“The city of Coeur d’Alene does not directly budget for winter, but rather budget for an average based on seven years of data and the costs associated,” he said. “Obviously, this year has been very light on many items this winter, such as … cutting edges and chains, as well as fuel.”

Plowing through a storm costs the city between $5,000 and $7,000, Martin said, depending how heavy the snow falls and the in-the-moment cost of diesel fuel. Getting a feel for a storm is mostly science, he contends, but also a little art.

“We rely on the National Weather Service very heavily for winter predictions,” Martin said. “Over the last 20 years or so, I’ve gotten to be very in-tuned to our weather.”

He and other city officials will use that intuition as the weekend storm approaches to determine whether or not the plows or de-icer will be required to keep Coeur d’Alene motorists safe one more time this winter. The forecast calls for temperature to drop into the teens, with rain giving way to blowing snow.

The last full city-wide plow was Jan. 16. That storm, officially known to Coeur d’Alene’s Streets Department as “Eagle” as part of its storm-naming protocols, dropped 5 inches of snow in Coeur d’Alene and caused extra havoc along the city’s grades.

“We did have to plow off several of our hills,” he said, “[like the] Cherry, Tubbs and Armstrong neighborhoods after the 16th.”

Martin, who has researched the streets’ histories through Coeur d’Alene Press articles, said one of the department’s biggest obstacles is the continued parking of cars along streets before a winter storm, though he added it’s a problem that requires constant vigilance and some brainstorming.

“There was an article written about a series of storms back in the ‘70s that talked about narrow streets because of parked cars,” he recalled. “In the older section of town, many citizens do not have options. I think what is frustruating is, they do not dig cars out and move them. Crews have adapted to move freely in and out of traffic, if you will give us the courtesy to get our job done. When time allows after storms, we are always sending crews out to push back and widen streets where cars have been parked.”

One place where cars have trouble parking right now is the back of the lot on City Park across from the Human Rights Education Institute off Fort Ground Drive. Portions of the lot are currently occupied by the annual appearance of a giant mound of snow, leftovers from the city plows’ efforts to keep Sherman Avenue clear. Martin said those that see it as an eyesore should not worry.

“My best guess is, we hauled 5,000 to 6,000 tons off of Sherman and East Sherman this winter,” Martin said. “If we receive a little rain and 50-degree weather, the snow at the museum lot will disappear before April.”

Those hopeful for that April deadline might need to keep their fingers crossed just a little longer. The weekend forecast calls for 2 to 4 more inches of snow.