Black ice catches commuters by surprise. Lots of crashes in Tri-Cities region

Early morning black ice around the Tri-Cities region sent drivers skidding off roadways and crashing into each other on Monday.

Freezing temperatures and fog left icy patches across sections of Interstate 82 near Coffin Road and sections of Highway 395 north of Pasco starting about 6:35 a.m., Washington State Trooper Daniel Mosqueda reported.

The slick pavement contributed to 11 collisions that WSP troopers responded to before 9 a.m., Mosqueda said.

No one was seriously hurt.

The Washington State Department of Transportation has been working through the morning to apply de-icer to overpasses and notoriously slippery areas, Mosqueda said.

Mosqueda suggested drivers leave 15 or 20 minutes earlier than usual to get where they’re going.

“That way they’ll slow down and avoid being involved in a collision,” he said.

Workers commuting to the Hanford nuclear site were advised by the Department of Energy to drive cautiously and plan for longer driving times because of the fog and icy conditions on site.

Temperatures across the region are expected to warm during the day to near 50 much of the week, according to the National Weather Service.

It is expected to get near freezing on Christmas Eve and Christmas.

This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 10:25 AM.