While visitors from around the world travel to Hawaii for its top surfing waves, sandy beaches and otherwise tropical environment, the 137 islands that make up the Aloha State do see snow with some regularity in specific places.
Mountain peaks like Haleakala, Mauna Loa, and Mauna Kea will see snow at least once a year at some point between December and February while areas of Maui and the Big Island with lower elevation also occasionally see a few snowflakes (that, granted, tend to last only a few hours and melt before landing on the ground).
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On Oct. 27, Hawaii’s Big Island saw storms resulting in heavy rains and snowfall of as much as three inches. Such a large amount is so uncharacteristic that the National Weather Service has issued a warning for tourists about how travel through the island “could be very difficult.”
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‘Rain could quickly lead to runoff and flash flooding issues’
“An upper low in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands is producing unstable conditions within a very moist atmosphere,” wrote the NWS from its Honolulu base (the Hawaiian capital does not have elevation high enough to be affected). “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.”
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As the highest peaks where most of the snow has fallen have no observation stations from which the situation can be monitored, local meteorologists say that it is difficult to predict whether the current bout of snow is over or more can be expected.
But even if there is no snow in a specific area, there is still risk of heavy flooding and reduced visibility in a general storm atmosphere for those coming to the Big Island.
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NWS to Hawaii visitors: ‘Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities’
“Blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility at times, with periods of zero visibility,” the advisory reads further. “A winter weather advisory means that periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities, and use caution.
The access road leading to the summit of Mauna Kea, which sits at over 14,000 feet above sea level, is currently closed to traffic as well as to keep visitors away amid current conditions.
The snow advisory extends specifically to visitors to the Big Island (while geographically the largest, it is much more remote and attracts more adventurous travelers interested in volcanoes) while the risk of flood extends throughout Hawaii’s islands.
Oahu and Maui currently have characteristic temperatures in the high seventies for the latter and the sixties for the former, but are under risk of flash floods brought about by a period of heavy rain. Maui is also still recovering from the 2023 wildfires that burned through over 6,000 acres of land and destroyed the historic of Lahaina.
“Flood-prone roads and other low-lying areas may be closed due to elevated runoff and overflowing streams,” reads the NWS’ flood watch advisory. “Urban areas may receive more significant flooding and property damage due to rapid runoff.”
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