Drier, but bitterly cold, weather in Tri-City forecast

The weather should improve some Sunday in the Mid-Columbia after a rough few days for police officers in Washington and Oregon.

Highway 12 closed down twice Saturday not far from Touchet because of crashes. The highway was closed from about 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. for one crash and again about 3:45 p.m. for a second crash about two miles away.

Interstate 84 closed in both directions Saturday morning over a stretch of nearly 50 miles from near Hood River west to Troutdale because of multiple crashes on slick roadways. The interstate remained closed eastbound at 5 p.m.

Police responded to multiple crashes Friday evening around the Mid-Columbia, including a rollover crash two miles north of Connell at 6:21 p.m. The Idaho driver was injured and will be charged with driving too fast for road conditions, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Drivers will still need to be prepared for slick roads and snow showers if they are traveling through the mountains Sunday, said the National Weather Service.

In the Tri-Cities, a 30 percent chance of rain or snow is forecast before 10 a.m. Sunday, followed by possible rain later in the day.

Skies will clear as the work week starts, but temperatures will drop. Lows in the teens are forecast Monday through Friday night, with a possibility of a low of 12 degrees Friday night, according to early forecasts.

Highs should drop from the 30s Sunday and Monday to the teens through Friday, according to the weather service.

This story was originally published December 10, 2016 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Drier, but bitterly cold, weather in Tri-City forecast."