Whether it was work or play, the heavy snowfall over the weekend seemed to make a difference in the activities of many residents.

"We were working all weekend," Terry O'Toole, the city's acting public works manager, told the Star this morning.

Twenty city staff members worked overtime Saturday and Sunday clearing and sanding roads with the four plows, four graders, three loaders and two sanders the city has at its disposal.

"We got all the roads plowed yesterday so everybody can drive around," said public works supervisor Gordon Smith.

Roads were cleared by priority, which meant it was difficult for some drivers to make their way from their homes onto the main roadways, depending on their vehicle, with their streets not being plowed until later in the day.

As Smith pointed out though, most residents understood city crews were working throughout Sunday to get the city plowed.

Saturday's record snowfall for Feb. 7 of 14.2 centimetres (which broke the previous 1984 record for that day of 5.7 cm).

The accumulated precipitation from this winter will undoubtedly affect the city's snow-clearing budget, but just what impact that will be is still unknown, O'Toole said.

"We're already up to 61 inches (155 centimetres) this year," he said, after noting he believes the city is currently within its snow-clearing budget of just under $2 million.

That may change if the territory continues to set records for snowfall.

As Environment Canada meteorologist Gabor Fricska pointed out this morning from his office in Kelowna, B.C. that Saturday's snowfall was close to the record set for any single day in February since weather data began being collected in 1942.

The record for a February snowfall was set on Feb. 9, 1982, when 16.7 cm of snow fell. That same month, the record for total snowfall for a month was also set, at 40.4 centimetres.

Currently, the territory has seen 22.2 centimetres fall this month.

"We're a little over half way there," Fricska said.

The heavy snowfall on Saturday was caused by a low pressure system that made its way into northern B.C. and southeast Yukon.

Normally, such systems stay in the Gulf of Alaska, but this one managed to be unhindered by the mountains and come inland.

Over the next couple of days, residents can also expect a few more centimetres of snow, Fricska said.

Another weaker weather system is expected to bring a couple more centimetres of snow tonight followed by a couple more centimetres tomorrow.

It will also likely become colder, with temperatures expected at about -17 C later today and an overnight low of about -27 C. Temperatures are normally between -10 C and -19 C for this time of year, Fricska said.

And while skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts may normally wish for an abundance of snow, Whitehorse Cross-Country Ski Club manager Mike Gladish said officials there found themselves wishing it would stop on Saturday.

Additional snow can end up meaning additional costs for the club, with the snow groomer being needed to prepare the major trails along with the volunteer work that's done to groom some of the smaller courses.

"The more snow we get, the more work it is," Gladish said.

He hasn't looked at what the additional costs might be for the season though. As Gladish pointed out, the club's trails are marketed for the grooming so the club does the grooming whenever it's needed.

The fresh powder can sometimes keep newer skiers off the trails because it tends to slow them down and many are accustomed to the harder-packed groomed conditions.

"It's just a different experience," he said of skiing through powder.

For most skiers though, the temperature is the biggest factor in deciding whether to come out on the trails, and the past weekend seemed quite busy, with many happy about the weather.

It appears many are taking advantage of this season's conditions with memberships up to 1,200 over last season's 1,000 and most members skiing about twice a week, often on weekends, he said.

There seems to be a growing number of skiers trying out the sport this year for the first time or returning to it after several years, he said.

Officials with the Mount Sima downhill site couldn't be reached for comment on the impact this weekend's snow had on the site.