Weather News

Tri-Cities hit with twice last winter’s snowfall. Now the big melt and another storm

Sue Flynn, Vickiy Van Beek, John Van Beek and Jay Flynn, from left, spend Tuesday morning gliding across the snow covered ground on cross country skis along Canyon Lakes Drive in Kennewick. The group said it was their fourth day getting outside on skis since a series of winter storms rolled across the Pacific Northwest.
Sue Flynn, Vickiy Van Beek, John Van Beek and Jay Flynn, from left, spend Tuesday morning gliding across the snow covered ground on cross country skis along Canyon Lakes Drive in Kennewick. The group said it was their fourth day getting outside on skis since a series of winter storms rolled across the Pacific Northwest. Bob Brawdy Tri-City Herald

Expect some slushy roadways and big puddles on Wednesday as snow begins to melt in the Tri-Cities.

Temperatures will be warming to as high as 40 on Wednesday, before another snowstorm could arrive, according to the forecast of the National Weather Service.

A 30% chance of snow is forecast for Thursday in the Tri-Cities, increasing to a 40% chance of snow in the late evening. Later in the night a slight chance of rain or snow is forecast.

Thursday will be a little cooler, with a high of 36 forecast, but temperatures will continue to warm after that and could reach 51 degrees on Sunday and 55 on Monday in the Tri-Cities.

The snow accumulation in the Tri-Cities area was as high as 10 to 12 inches after a series of storms from Thursday through Monday morning.

There was one report made to the weather service of 14 inches of snow a mile north of Kennewick.

An electronic message board hanging from West Slyvester Street in Pasco above the southbound lanes of Highway 395 cautions people to drive safely in hazardous road conditions caused by winter storms that dumped around a foot of snow on the Tri-Cities over the weekend.
An electronic message board hanging from West Slyvester Street in Pasco above the southbound lanes of Highway 395 cautions people to drive safely in hazardous road conditions caused by winter storms that dumped around a foot of snow on the Tri-Cities over the weekend. Jennifer King jking@tricityherald.com

But areas to the east of the Tri-Cities were harder hit as storms rolled up against the western slopes of the Blue Mountains.

Pendleton had a total of almost 2 feet of snow.

Last winter in the Tri-Cities, no measurable snowfall was recorded in February, according to the weather service reports for Kennewick. Just under 4 inches fell the entire winter.

But in February 29, almost 15 inches of snow dropped on the Tri-Cities in one week, according to AccuWeather.

Snoqualmie Pass was expected to open by 3 p.m. Tuesday after crews worked on avalanche control and clearing the snow and ice from Interstate 90. Avalanche danger and spin-outs closed the highway overnight Monday.

A small scale avalanche appears to have taken place on the steep hill behind residences along West Grandridge Boulevard near West Quinault Avenue in west Kennewick.
A small scale avalanche appears to have taken place on the steep hill behind residences along West Grandridge Boulevard near West Quinault Avenue in west Kennewick. Bob Brawdy Tri-City Herald

This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 12:47 PM.

AC
Annette Cary
Tri-City Herald
509-416-6136
Senior staff writer Annette Cary covers Hanford, energy, the environment, science and health for the Tri-City Herald. She’s been a news reporter for more than 30 years in the Pacific Northwest. Support my work with a digital subscription
Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW