Freezing fog sends cars crashing on Tri-Cities highways. It could get worse this week

Freezing fog across the Tri-Cities left roads slick and caused a half dozen crashes on highways and bridges Monday morning.

Police responded to crashes at Court Street, George Washington Way, Highway 240 and Interstate 182 starting shortly before 8 a.m. when dense fog began rolling into the area.

There were no reports of serious injuries.

Pasco police helped clear one crash from the Lee-Volpentest bridges on Interstate 182 between Pasco and Richland and reported that the on- and off-ramps of the highway were particularly slick.

The crashes caused traffic to back up on Highway 240.

The National Weather Service predicts that the freezing fog will persist until 10 a.m. most mornings this week, with even a 20% chance of snow flurries or rain from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday around the Mid-Columbia region.

Daytime highs this week will hover near 40 degrees.

This story was originally published January 18, 2021 at 12:23 PM.