This weekend’s wintry blast, which was expected to bring up to a foot of snow to some areas, had First Night ice sculptor Donald Chapelle feeling downright cheery Saturday.

“Sunlight is what kills it, not this kind of weather,” said the veteran sculptor, taking a break from carving a coral reef scene as snow began to fall outside the Prudential Center on Saturday afternoon. Organizers of the annual New Year’s Eve celebration said the storm would not affect preparations for the event, which they expect will draw 1 million people.