Tri-Cities cleaning up after snowfall, less than an inch more predicted

The weather is expected to turn warmer Saturday after two days of snow, slush and ice.

The National Weather Service predicted less than an inch of snow Friday night, possibly mixed with freezing rain and sleet. A winter weather advisory for the region ended at 6 p.m.

The chance for rain will linger around 20 to 30 percent on Saturday and Sunday as temperatures rise to the mid to high 30s, according to the weather service. Predictions call for wind gusts of up to 24 miles per hour Saturday night and up to 22 miles per hour Sunday morning.

A final bout of snow showers may strike the area on Monday before the weather turns colder next week.

Tri-Cities residents spent Friday uncovering their cars from snow that started falling Thursday afternoon.

Slick conditions on the highways led to roughly 49 crashes around the Tri-Cities overnight Thursday into Friday morning. Washington State Patrol Trooper Chris Thorson said the majority of the crashes were people spinning out and ending up stuck in the median. No injuries were reported.

“The main cause of 80 percent of these crashes is just driving too fast for the road conditions,” he said.

The highways and arterial streets in Richland, Kennewick and Pasco were clear or clearing by 2:30 p.m.

Richland’s street supervisor, Chad Boothe, and Pasco Public Works street lead Allen Vernon said they were planning for more snow.

“We are running our plows and sanders,” Vernon said. “We’re out doing some spot checking, and putting down a little de-icer. ... The roads are looking a little better.”

More snow was expected to fall in the Cascades on Friday night as a cold front moves through the area. The weather service issued a winter storm warning for the east slopes, and predicted 1 to 3 inches would fall during the course of the night.

All three mountain passes were open as of Friday night, and snow was predicted to continue during the weekend.

It was taking drivers roughly two and a half hours to travel between North Bend and Ellensburg on Interstate 90 after it closed for roughly an hour near Elk Heights to clear vehicles from the roadway.

Travel heading the other direction was taking a similar amount of time. Traction tires are required, and chains are required on vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. Oversized vehicles are prohibited. Snow and ice are on the road.

White Pass and Stevens Pass have similar restrictions. Compact snow and ice are on the road.

The snow is part of a larger winter storm system that has wrecked havoc in other parts of the country, with multiple chain-reaction accidents reported in the Midwest.

The wintry mix of snow, ice and rain showered fear and excitement in much of the Northwest, including Portland and Seattle. The snowfall was the most Seattle has seen since 2014.

This story was originally published December 9, 2016 at 7:38 PM with the headline "Tri-Cities cleaning up after snowfall, less than an inch more predicted."