Rain in Tri-Cities, snow on passes in forecast

Travelers should be prepared for snow on the east slopes of the Cascades and in the Blue Mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

In the Tri-Cities more rain is expected, with a 50 percent chance of rain Wednesday and a 60 percent chance of rain Thursday night. Temperatures should continue to warm.

The high Wednesday in the Tri-Cities could hit the low 40s and by Martin Luther King Day the high could be up to 44. Lows should be about freezing or a little above through the three-day weekend.

In the mountains on either side of the Mid-Columbia, winter weather advisories have been issued through Thursday.

Five to 10 inches of snow on the east slopes of the Cascades and 6 to 12 inches in the northern Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington could make for slow and treacherous travel, the weather service said.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Rain in Tri-Cities, snow on passes in forecast."