Forecast update: Treacherous freezing fog sends Tri-City drivers skidding. More in store
Icy roads sent Tri-City drivers skidding across slick highways after freezing fog swept through the region.
Nine crashes were reported Monday on state highways between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m., Washington State Patrol Trooper Chris Thorson told the Herald.
The National Weather Service predicted more freezing fog was forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday night and Thursday morning as an inversion persists over the Tri-Cities.
The weather service issued an air stagnation advisory through 11 a.m. Thursday. The air quality could deteriorate, it said.
Highs near freezing — either a couple degrees below or above — are expected through Thursday. Lows are forecast from 22 to 25 through Thursday.
Temperatures should start to warm on Friday with a high of 46 forecast by Sunday and a chance of rain Friday through the weekend.
Most of Monday’s wrecks were at the interchange of Interstate 82 and I-82 just west of Richland near Candy Mountain.
The worst collision was a driver who tried taking a ramp at the interchange while driving 65 mph about 6:30 a.m. She lost control and the car flipped.
She was taken to a local hospital for pain in her neck and back.
About the same time, there were three crashes at the intersection, Thorson posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Driving too fast for the icy roads also played a role in the other crashes as well, including ones on Highway 240 and Highway 124.
The condition of the highways had improved by 9 a.m., after the Department of Transportation was able to treat the roads, Thorson said.
The National Weather Service offered several tips for driving in dense freezing fog, including:
- Slow down
- Keep your headlights turned on
- Increase the distance between your car and the one in front of you
- Reduce distractions in your car
- Be patient
- Signal your turns
- Try not to stop in the road
- Watch for slippery spots
- Follow the right edge of the road
This story was originally published November 27, 2023 at 10:14 AM.