Weather
While much of the mainland West continues to wait on meaningful snowfall, Hawaii is getting a very different kind of winter headline.
Heavy snow has blanketed the upper elevations of Mauna Kea, forcing the closure of the summit access road and prompting a winter storm warning for Hawaii Island’s highest peaks. The Center for Maunakea Stewardship announced early Monday that the road to the summit was closed due to snow and ice, with hazardous conditions expected to persist overnight and into the morning.
According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm warning remains in effect for elevations above 11,000 feet, with 10 to 16 inches of snow forecast across the summits of Mauna Kea and nearby Mauna Loa. Mauna Kea rises to roughly 13,800 feet (4,205 meters) above sea level, high enough for winter conditions when Pacific storms collide with cold upper-atmosphere air.
Video and images from the United Kingdom Infra-Red Telescope captured the rare but striking scene Sunday evening, showing snow-covered ground and icy conditions surrounding observatory infrastructure near the summit. The access road was closed at the Visitor Information Station, a standard safety protocol during winter storms on the mountain.
Local authorities uurged patience and caution, directing visitors to check updates from the Mauna Kea Weather Center before attempting to travel anywhere near the summit. Even when snow totals aren’t extreme by continental standards, ice, and whiteout conditions can make the road impassable.
The storm quickly caught national attention, especially among skiers and snow-watchers on the mainland. AccuWeather reported that around a foot of snow was piling up on Hawaii’s mountaintops, an amount that rivals—and in some cases exceeds—seasonal totals in snow-starved cities like Denver. Social media users were quick to point out the irony: Hawaii currently has more fresh snow at elevation than some major ski regions have seen all winter.
The snow is not unusual for Mauna Kea, which regularly sees winter storms at its summit, but the timing and intensity stand out amid a broader pattern of weather extremes across the United States. While the Rockies and Sierra Nevada have struggled through prolonged dry spells, Hawaii’s highest terrain is experiencing full-on winter conditions.
For now, the summit road will remain closed until conditions improve. As always on Mauna Kea, access will depend not just on snowfall totals, but on wind, visibility, and ice—reminders that even in the tropics, winter can still show up with a vengeance.
