Here's one from 2006, on the Mountaineer's Route:
... Climbers checked forecast which predicted snow before departing. Climbers were not aware of a severe winter storm warning if in fact one had been issued by then.
Some of the small hand-held Motorola radios have a weather radio feature. Pressing the "+" for 3 seconds switches it to weather mode, and then pressing the + or - buttons moves up down the dial after pressing the Menu key.
While you can't depend upon this feature working in every location, knowing how to use it and checking it from time-to-time may help keep you informed.
Also - winter storms don't "sneak up" on you like a summer thunderstorm. They're often predicted several days ahead of time as they move off the Pacific. The intensity and track of each storm is better known a day or two before it moves onshore, but with a bit of planning there shouldn't be too many surprises on a trip lasting 3 or 4 days.
When at elevation - assume that any winter storm will produce large amounts of snow.
