There may not be snow for Christmas, but frosty weather is going to blast Tri-Cities

Tri-Citians will see a green Christmas, but much colder temperatures are coming.

After a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with highs in the mid-40s, a colder-than-normal blast is to blow in from western Canada and drop temperatures into the teens at the start of the week, according to the National Weather Service in Pendleton.

There is only a slight chance the Tri-Cities will see snow on Sunday just before the temperatures start plunging on Monday.

The coldest days are expected to come on Tuesday and Wednesday with highs of 18 and 14 those days. Nighttime temperatures will dip into the single digits, said the weather service.

Temperatures in higher elevations such as Yakima and Pendleton could dip even lower.

The cold is expected to last into the New Year’s weekend, according to a special weather statement.

“Multiple days of high temperatures below freezing with overnight lows into the single digits and below zero are forecast,” it said.

The cold brings a higher risk of hypothermia. People going outside should dress in layers and cover exposed skin.

And travelers heading across Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass should prepare for snow on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, said the Washington state Department of Transportation.

The state is warning of delays going over mountain passes.

This story was originally published December 23, 2021 at 2:52 PM.