LEWISTON — Early predictions of four to seven inches for this weekend’s snowstorm quickly proved inadequate as the white stuff began falling Saturday afternoon and continued its descent throughout the night and all day Sunday.

By Sunday morning the National Weather Service had posted a winter storm warning, and by Sunday night meteorologists were forecasting a total of 10 to 14 inches by the time the storm winds down around midnight, bringing partly cloudy skies and temperatures approaching 40 to the region on Monday.

Many people were caught off-guard by the quantity of snow the storm brought and didn’t make last-minute trips to the grocery store, but officials reported no serious problems as Public Works crews and private companies worked to remove the heavy wet snow ahead of the work week.

Lewiston police said the slick roads kept most vehicles off the streets Sunday, leaving them to flocks of pedestrians diverted from snow-swamped sidewalks.

The attitudes of those braving the weather were surprisingly upbeat and even cheerful.

“I want to live in an igloo,” Ariana Vincent, 11, of Greene said. Vincent was just returning from a local store with a bag of candy for her storm provisions.

Inspired by a visit to the Ice Festival and the weather, Vincent said she has decided to spend the rest of her days in an igloo. She was also quite adamant that school should also be canceled on Monday.

Nearby, Brian Wood and Foster McClure, both of Lewiston, were making quick work of a driveway. When asked about the weather, McClure responded, “I don’t like it, but I like making money.”

Wood said that the pair works the neighborhood together, shoveling driveways for $20 to $30 each.

“We shovel together,” Wood said, flinging a loaded shovel over his shoulder. He said that while this storm was no Nemo, it has kept the pair quite busy. Wood said that this was his first driveway with McClure, but he had shoveled several on his own.

At Bates College, student Larisa Collins, 21, of San Francisco crossed the cleared sidewalks of the campus with fellow student Meg Ogilvie, 20, of Mapledale, Mass.

“I love it,” Collins said. “I wish we could make snow angels.”

Ogilvie said she likes how the fresh snow makes everything look better.

Collins said she enjoys the snow but is concerned about the toll the Maine weather would take on her California car. After only a moment of concern, she brightened back up,

“It makes me feel like a little kid,” she said. “It makes you want to roll around in it.”

Another Bates student, Michael LaVallee, 22, of Gardiner, was a little more sanguine about the weather, “I’m from Maine, so it’s all the same to me.”

LaVallee said he and many of the other students take it all in stride this time of the year. “The first storm, some people were upset,” he said. Now LaVallee said they know what to expect.

LaVallee said that his parents, who were vacationing in the Caribbean, had to put their planned return on hold. He said that since this was being treated as just another Maine storm, his parents took little notice when booking their return flight.

It was only this morning, LaVallee said, that they were informed their flight from Philadelphia to Portland had been canceled.

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Parking bans

Both Lewiston and Auburn have parking bans in effect until 6 a.m. Monday.

Municipal lots — not schools — and parking garages are free to use on weekends until 6 a.m. Monday. Lots in Lewiston are located at:

• Canal Street Garage – 62 Canal St.
• Chestnut Street Garage – 29 Chestnut St.
• Lincoln Street Garage – 16 Lincoln St.
• Oak Street Garage – 1 Oak St.
• Southern Gateway Garage – 425 Lisbon St.

Get more information at the Lewiston Snow and Parking Web page.

Damien Golden, 6, of Auburn helps shovel the driveway at his home on the corner of Turner and Parker streets in Auburn Sunday morning.