Along with the bitter cold temperatures that moved into the the region this week, was a plentiful amount of snowfall that resulted in as much as five inches being reported in some areas of the county, forcing school officials to cancel classes on Monday and Tuesday.

For some local residents, it was a fun occurrance, for others, it meant more work.

Several kids of all ages, including some adults took advantage of the fast, slick hill located in Memorial Hill Cemetery. In the top photo, Lewis Purnell, Tyler Martin, Dexter Dalton, Blake Talbott, Michael Butler and Matt Stepien slid down the hill numerous times as snow continued to fall Monday morning.

At right, Max Qualls, a member of the Foothills Festival Planning Committee, was spotted early Monday morning shoveling snow from the sidewalk in front of the Foothills Welcome Center on the Albany square.

The cold blast that accompanied the artic air forced temperatures into the single digits early Tuesday morning.

Winter officially arrives at 5:38 p.m., December 21.

weather; snow blankets county, temperatures drop to single digits