1st freeze of fall forecast in Tri-Cities. Travelers to see mountain snow

The temperature could drop below freezing for the first time this year in the Tri-Cities early Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

It has issued a freeze watch from 3 to 9 a.m. across the Mid-Columbia of Eastern Washington.

In the Tri-Cities the temperature is forecast to drop to 31.

Outlying and higher elevation areas could see colder temperatures.

A low of 26 is forecast for Connell, 27 for Prosser, and 29 for Burbank and Hermiston, Ore.

Steps may be needed to protect tender plants from the cold, according to the weather service.

In-ground sprinkler systems should be blown out for the winter and above-ground pipes covered to prevent them from freezing, it said.

Travel forecast

A winter weather advisory for the Blue Mountains of south Washington and north Oregon was issued Tuesday through 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Travel could be very difficult at the highest elevations, the weather service warned.

It said that travelers heading east from the Tri-Cities on Interstate 84 in Oregon could see daytime accumulations of 3 to 5 inches of snow Tuesday and then 3 to 7 inches overnight.

The forecast is good news for Ski Bluewood near Dayton. The weather service predicted 4 to 8 inches of snow to stick there on Tuesday and then 6 to 10 inches Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

The worst travel time for those heading west from the Tri-Cities on Interstate 90 in the next few days could be Thursday night, when 4 to 8 inches of new snow are forecast on Snoqualmie Pass.

Precipitation should turn to rain Friday but more snow is likely through the weekend.