Cold and more cold is the order of the day — in fact, of the coming week, according to the National Weather Service.

But that can mean an absolute boom in Bend, where people love cold-weather sports. Just ask Valerie Collins, retail sales associate at The Powder House, a ski and snow sports store on Century Drive.

“It’s been so busy the past week, we ran out of cross-country (skis) and snowshoes, oh, yeah,” she said Tuesday. “Once the snow starts really flying and sticking in town, and (it starts) getting super cold, people really freak out and they really love it.”

A full moon on the weekend before New Year’s Day brought snowshoers and cross-country skiers out for nighttime excursions, despite the chill, she said.

Cold, clear and dry conditions should prevail through the weekend, with temperatures slightly below normal, said weather service meteorologist Robert Cramp, of Pendleton. Snow on the ground and a low-hanging sun are partly responsible for the chilly temperatures.

“Clear skies at night, particularly with snow on the ground, doesn’t allow it to get real warm,” he said. “We’re essentially looking at a dry forecast down there for several days — no warm south winds to mix things up, nothing to give us an air mass change.

“The air gets cold and stays cold for a while,” he said.

A high-pressure system is keeping skies clear, Cramp said. No strong system appears lined up behind it, he said. The only change might be low clouds making their way over Bend from the Columbia River valley. Expect “some low clouds and fog,” he said.

“We could be talking into the first part of next week,” Cramp said Tuesday. “We’re not seeing any substantial system until early next week.”

Low temperatures could dip as low as 10 degrees overnight; highs may reach the mid-30s. “We’re going to be in this pattern for a while,” Cramp said.

With frigid temperatures expected every night, the Humane Society of Central Oregon urged owners to take extra care of household pets. They’re best kept inside when temperatures are below 32 degrees; dogs and cats can get frostbitten ears, noses and feet. Booties and dog jackets and sweaters do more than look good; they actually keep the animal warm and prevent injury from ice.

Not just household pets, but livestock like horses need special attention, too, the Human Society advised. Make sure they have clean, dry bedding and their water does not freeze.

Back in Bend, Collins said she’s braced for more winter sports enthusiasts, even as the holidays wind down. “Even today, when people were all hung over, we still had quite the push,” she said Tuesday.