Update | More snow in Tri-Cities forecast. Heavy snow coming to I-90’s Snoqualmie Pass

More snow flurries are possible this week in the Tri-Cities than initial forecasts called for, says the National Weather Service.

The first snowfall — with at least more than some light flakes — fell Monday night with a dusting that was enough to stick to the ground in some places.

Snow was forecast for Wednesday morning as of the start of the week, but now the weather service expects temperatures to be warm enough that precipitation is more likely to fall as rain Wednesday after some possible snow Tuesday evening.

Then a 40% chance of rain and snow for the Tri-Cities is expected on Thursday. The snow level will fall to 600 feet, which could include higher areas of the Tri-Cities. Much of the Tri-Cities is just above 400 feet.

Friday night the chance of rain and snow will again be 40%, with the snow level as low as 500 feet.

But this is likely to be one of those weeks when the Seattle area gets more snow than Tri-Cities.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the Seattle area from 1 p.m. Tuesday to 10 a.m. Wednesday, with up to 4 inches of snow possible in the higher hills of Seattle and neighboring communities.

A winter storm watch has been issued for parts of Washington state, including north of Connell, and most of central Washington, including Ellensburg and Wenatchee, from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday afternoon or evening.

Travel across the Cascade Mountain passes of Washington will be challenging, with heavy snow forecast Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, says the weather service.

On Tuesday night, 12 to 18 inches of new snow was forecast to accumulate on Interstate 90 at Snoqualmie Pass, with 3 to 7 inches more on Wednesday.