Hawaii summit blanketed in snow in rare cold snap
Hawaiis highest summit has been blanketed in snow after the tropical hotspot was hit with a rare cold snap.
Hawaiis highest summit has been blanketed in snow after the tropical hotspot was hit with a rare cold snap.
Social media was swept with images of the Mauna Kea volcano as it was covered in a thick layer of snow this week.
Residents who are more used to sunny days on the beach and vacation weather have instead been left with severe travel restrictions and icy roads.
Meteorologists said the winter landscape across Hawaii is the result of freezing temperatures blowing in from the ocean meeting with moisture in the air.
Mauna Kea, Hawaiis highest summit, has been blanketed in snow after the tropical hotspot was hit with a rare cold snap
Roads have been closed and travel restrictions put in place for those near the summit
Maureen Ballard, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Honolulu, told the Associated Press that an upper-level disturbance in the atmosphere brought cold temperatures toward Hawaii.
She said moisture came in from the east at the same time, and a combination of cold temperatures and moisture equals snow when its below freezing.
NWS meteorologist Liam Tsamous told Newsweek that its not yet known how much snow has fallen on high-elevation peaks. Thats mainly because there are no observation stations up in those areas, he explained.
However, he said up to 4 inches of rain fell on low-elevation areas, with Hawaii now entering its wet season that will last until April.
Meteorologists said the winter landscape across Hawaii is the result of freezing temperatures blowing in from the ocean meeting with moisture in the air
Snowfall in winter is not uncommon for the peak of the mountain
The most stunning images of Hawaiis snowfall came on the Mauna Kea volcano, the highest mountain in Hawaii at nearly 14,000 feet above sea level.
It is the tallest peak in the world, even taller than Mount Everest, if it is measure from its base, which extends almost 20,000 feet below sea level.
The volcano, due to its elevation, has even been known to fall under blizzard warnings in the winter months.
Tsamous, while not commenting on whether Mauna Kea is currently snow-capped, said the volcano often gets snow during October.
The heavy rain, as well as blowing snow, present a danger for Hawaiians in low-lying areas, according to the forecast pushed by the NWS when snow fell at the start of the week.
An upper low in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands is producing unstable conditions within a very moist atmosphere, the forecast read.
The last time Hawaii was hit with snow was in early December 2023, seen last year at the summit area of the Mauna Kea volcano
The summit area of the Mauna Kea volcano seen on October 27, 2024
This will result in periods of moderate to locally heavy showers. Rain that occurs over already saturated ground could quickly lead to runoff and flash flooding issues.
The last time Hawaii was hit with snow was in early December 2023.
At the time, snow was seen on the top of Big Islands highest mountains, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, both of which tower almost 14,000 feet above sea level.
In all, around five inches of snow was recorded.