OLYMPIA — The Washington state Department of Transportation says the North Cascades Highway is closed for the winter.

An avalanche closed State Route 20 through those mountains last Friday and transportation officials said Tuesday that the pass will remain closed due to heavy snowfall and avalanche danger.

The Transportation Department says 20 inches of new snow fell in the area between Sunday and Tuesday.

On Nov. 8, state officials announced the winter closures of State Route 410 over Chinook Pass and State Route 123 over Cayuse Pass.