Schools and others close on Friday or plan late starts

Many Tri-City students got a fifth snow day in a row on Friday.

Multiple K-12 schools in the Mid-Columbia initially announced two-hour delays, but by 7:30 a.m. most were deciding to cancel classes again.

Hanford and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory employees went to work, but on a delayed start.

The National Weather Service was forecasting a slight chance of freezing rain and snow in the Tri-Cities before 10 a.m.

By afternoon the sun was shining and snow was melting and dripping off roofs.

But roads were very slick in the morning after a brief snowfall overnight coated roadways that were already covered with ice, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office warned on social media at 7:30 a.m.

The Pasco School District said it was concerned that many residential streets and county roads continue to be covered with compact snow and ice, making bus travel hazardous.

Cities had made progress on their snow plowing by Friday morning.

The city of Richland said crews had gotten to all residential streets, but warned that most were not down to bare pavement. Friday Richland plows will be widening priority roads with snow along the edges and going after problem areas on residential streets.

No more precipitation is likely in the Tri-Cities through the three-day holiday weekend.

However, just after students return to school next week more snow is possible, says the weather service.

Its early forecast predicts a chance of snow Tuesday night through Wednesday night.

Here are the closures and delays as announced by agencies for Friday:

School closures or delays

▪ Pasco schools are closed (updated).

▪ Richland schools closed (updated).

▪ Kennewick schools are closed (updated).

▪ Prosser schools are closed (updated).

▪ Columbia (Burbank) schools closed (updated).

▪ Finley schools closed (updated).

▪ Kahlotus schools closed. (updated).

▪ North Franklin schools are closed (updated).

▪ Dayton School District is closed on Friday. There will be no afterschool activities.

▪ Prescott schools were on a two hour delay.

▪ Touchet School District started two hours late.

▪ Educational Service District 123 office will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

▪ Calvary Christian School closed (updated).

▪ Christ the King School closed (updated).

▪ Grandview schools closed (updated).

▪ Kiona-Benton City schools closed (updated).

▪ Kingspoint Christian School closed (updated).

▪ St. Joseph’s Catholic School closed (updated). Children’s Center is closed.

▪ Liberty Christian School Tri-Cities closed (updated).

▪ Riverside Christian School opened two hours late.

Other closures or delays

▪ Benton Franklin Head Start is closed and home visits are canceled.

▪ Mid-Columbia Libraries closes all branches.

▪ Hanford was on a work delay for nonessential employees. 200 West and 100 Area workers reported at 9 a.m. and 200 East Area worker and those south of the Wye Barricade, including those in Richland, reported at 9:30 a.m. Employees were told not show up until their assigned time to allow snow removal crews to do their work.

▪ Pacific Northwest National Laboratory workers reported late at 9:30 a.m.

▪ Meals on Wheels dining centers are closed. Frozen meal deliveries will be made from the cafe.

▪ Children’s Developmental Center is closed.

▪ West Side Church in Richland canceled its preschool classes and Faith Parish Nursing meeting on Friday and the Men’s Breakfast Bible Study on Saturday.

▪ Franklin County Courthouse opened two hours late to allow time to clear snow and ice.

Closures and delays also will be posted at bit.ly/snowdelays.

This story was originally published February 14, 2019 at 8:18 PM.