Winter storm pounds Tri-Cities, closing some highways. More snow forecast Sunday

Tri-Cities area police were urging people to stay home Saturday after about 4 inches of new snow fell before dawn and snow continued to fall during the day.

The National Weather Service predicted up to 3 inches of snow during the day Saturday. A winter storm warning was in effect until 4 p.m.

As of about 9 a.m. Saturday, the weather service had reports of about 7 inches of total snow accumulation in Richland and 10.5 inches just south of Prosser.

Snowplows were at work across the Tri-Cities, but “the roads are still very slick and snow accumulation is continuing,” said a Kennewick police officer in a 7:30 a.m. social media update.

Visibility was as low as a half mile in parts of the Mid-Columbia, said the National Weather Service.

Richland reported snow drifts of 1 to 2 feet deep in places.

Locust Grove Road was closed from Highway 395 to Plymouth Road south of Kennewick due to deep snow berms and limited visibility Saturday morning.

Police and sheriff’s deputies reported dozens of crashes Friday and Saturday, including one that crushed the back of a Washington State Patrol trooper’s car when it was rear-ended on snowy Interstate 182 Friday afternoon. No one was hurt.

All branches of the Mid-Columbia Libraries were closed Saturday. The Tri-Cities Food Bank also did not open on Saturday.

Drive-through COVID-19 testing site at Columbia Basin College said it could close early through the three-day weekend, depending on weather conditions. It is usually open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hanford day shift workers, including those at the vitrification plant, were told not to report to the site on Saturday unless their jobs were essential to safety and security.

Travel difficult

Across the region, travelers were struggling.

Chains were required Saturday on Interstate 90 at Snoqualmie Pass for traffic in both directions.

Blowing snow made visibility poor and the roadway was covered with snow and ice, according to the Washington state Department of Transportation.

Interstate 84 was closed at Hood River, Ore., west almost to Portland Friday night due to high winds, low visibility and blizzard conditions, according the Oregon Department of Transportation. It remained closed to traffic in both directions Saturday morning.

Chains were being required on some sections of Interstate 84 east of the Tri-Cities.

More snow forecast

The National Weather Service forecast called for a break in the snow Saturday night until 4 p.m. Sunday in the Tri-Cities.

The chance of snow Sunday night is 60%, with 1 to 3 inches of new snow accumulation possible.

Snow also is possible on Presidents Day, but less than 1 inch of new snow on the ground is expected. Precipitation could turn to rain Monday night in most of the Tri-Cities, with snow at higher elevations.

Some warming is expected starting Sunday night. Lows that have been in the teens could warm to 23 degrees Sunday night.

Lows aren’t expected to be in the 30s until Thursday night.

Sunday the high is expected to remain below freezing in the high 20s, but the high could reach freezing on Washington’s Birthday and gradually climb to 45 by Friday.

High temperatures normally average about 48 in February in the Tri-Cities and lows about 30.

This story was originally published February 13, 2021 at 12:03 PM.