Powder Skiing in Hawaii? | 5-8″ of Snow for Hawaii This Week…

Miles Clark | | Post Tag for WeatherWeatherPost Tag for Industry NewsIndustry News
Powder Day on Mauna Kea, Hawaii
Powder Day on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.  photo:  getty

This is kinda cool.  This is kinda frustrating.  While the West Coast flounders in ski area closing snowlessness, Hawaii is expecting 5-8″ of snow this week.

Skiing Mauna Kea, Hawaii
Skiing Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Yes, people ski in Hawaii.  The Big Island’s highest peak, Mauna Kea (translates to White Mountain), is the largest mountain in the world.  Mauna Kea starts at -19,000-feet below sea level and rises to 13,796-feet above sea level giving it a vertical relief of about 33,000-feet – around 4,000-feet taller than Mt. Everest.

Looks like New Zealand, huh?  Nope, it's Hawaii.
Looks like New Zealand, huh? Nope, it’s Hawaii.

Skiing Mauna Kea is very real.  The Mauna Kea Ski Corporation rents skis and snowboards for $50/day.  They claim that 2,500 to 4,500-vertical-foot runs are a very real possibility.  These guys can also arrange shuttles to pick you up and drop you off at the top to maximize vertical.

Mauna Kea surf sesh.
Mauna Kea surf sesh.

This forecast is calling for 5-8″ of snow above 11,500-feet in Hawaii this week.  That means you could potentially ski around 2,000-vertical-feet right now if conditions permit.

Snow on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa from space.
Snow on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa from space.

NOAA’s Hawaiian Winter Storm Watch:

…WINTER STORM WATCH FOR BIG ISLAND SUMMITS ABOVE 11500 FEET TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY…

.A TROUGH ALOFT OVER HAWAII WILL CONTINUE TO BRING LIGHT SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS OVER THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS TONIGHT. THEASSOCIATED BAND OF LAYERED CLOUDS WILL TRANSITION TO CIRRUS CLOUDS EARLY TUESDAY. ANOTHER TROUGH WILL DIG IN FROM THE WEST AND LIKELYPRODUCE WINTRY WEATHER TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY ABOVE THE11500 FEET ELEVATION. WINDS ALSO WILL BE VERY STRONG AT THE BIGISLAND SUMMITS THOUGH THURSDAY.

Snow in Hawaii
Snow in Hawaii

* LOCATIONS…BIG ISLAND SUMMITS ABOVE 12500 FEET…DROPPING TO11500 FEET TUESDAY NIGHT.

* HAZARD TYPES…SNOW…ICE ACCUMULATION…AND FREEZING FOG.

* ACCUMULATIONS…HALF INCH OF SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATION EXPECTEDTONIGHT. AN ADDITIONAL 5 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW AND ICE POSSIBLEFROM TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY.

Powder Day on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
Powder Day on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

* TIMING…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY RUNS THROUGH TONIGHT. WINTERSTORM WATCH FROM TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY.

* IMPACTS…TRAVEL TO THE SUMMITS…EITHER ON FOOT OR BYVEHICLE…MAY BE DANGEROUS AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

Buried.  Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
Buried. Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

* WINDS…WEST 45 TO 65 MPH WITH LOCALIZED GUSTS OVER 80 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES…MID 20S AT NIGHT TO LOWER 30S DURING THE DAY.

* VISIBILITY…UNDER A HALF MILE IN FREEZING FOG.

Bro!  Mauna Kea, Hawaii
Bro! Mauna Kea, Hawaii

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2 thoughts on “Powder Skiing in Hawaii? | 5-8″ of Snow for Hawaii This Week…

  1. Kewl. I know someone who has done this ! You usually need your own 4×4 unless the Hawaii Ski club
    is present.

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