2022 Kicks Off With Winter Weather Advisory ...for Hawaii!

Radio telescopes dot the landscape atop Mauna Kea, surrounded by deep snow. The Thirty Meter Telescope, which would be the largest telescope in the Northern Hemisphere, is due to be built on the plateau to the left of these radio telescopes. Image: Weatherboy

With January 2022 here, Old Man Winter is showing his face again…but many may be surprised where one of the first Winter Weather Advisories for the new year was issued for: the Big Island of Hawaii! The National Weather Service in Honolulu on the island of Oahu in Hawaii issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Big Island Summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa through 6am on New Year’s Day.

“Dropping temperatures above 13,000 feet in elevation will lead to a wintry mix of rain and snow with snow accumulations of up to one inch,” the National Weather Service cautions; “plan on slippery road conditions.”

While most people don’t associate the tropical paradise Hawaii is known for with snow, they’re surprised to learn that it does snow in the winter due to the elevation of these volcanic peaks. Mauna Kea is the highest of the bunch at 13,803 feet. Maui’s Haleakala is much lower at 10,023 feet. Because of that difference, Hawaii Island will see snow more frequently than the lower Maui Island. Just one storm in January 2020 dropped 2-3 feet of snow on Hawaii Island and created snow drifts that were far deeper. Another storm last January brought snowboarders and skiers out to the mountain by the dozens.

Roads are finally clear and open today, December 9, after a blizzard impacted the Big Island of Hawaii bringing heavy snow and extremely strong winds to the Big Island of Hawaii. Image: Weatherboy

Earlier in December, the Aloha State was impacted by a significant storm system known locally as a “Kona Low”. The storm moved throughout the entire state, bringing heavy rains, blizzard conditions and heavy snow, 100-125+ mph winds, and extreme surf to the Big Island of Hawaii. Significant rains and winds impacted the other islands too, although only the Big Island saw significant accumulations of snow.

The Kona Low gets its name from the change in wind direction that occurs when such a storm moves over the Hawaii Islands. Hawaii is dominated by the trade winds that typically blow in from the northeast. However, the counter-clockwise flow around a Kona low located west of Hawaii results in southwesterly winds over the islands, which is typically the leeward or “Kona” side. Kona Lows are most common between October and April. These type of storms draw abundant moisture up from the warm tropical waters that surround Hawaii; when this moist flow interacts with the steep topography of the islands which helps to wring-out moisture, extremely heavy precipitation can fall. Because the wind flow around a Kona Low is atypical, flooding rains occur in places that may not ordinarily flood in tropical downpours that impact the islands from time to time. As this moisture taps into high elevation cold, it will often fall as exceptionally heavy snow on the higher peaks of Hawaii and Maui islands.

Driving this beast may be the coolest..or perhaps coldest job on Hawaii. This is one of the giant snow plow/throwers resting on the Big Island’s Mauna Kea, where it’s been busy the last few days clearing the roads of deep snow from last weekend’s #blizzard. #HIwx pic.twitter.com/mXolTX1kG8

— the Weatherboy (@theWeatherboy) December 10, 2021

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When snow covers the higher terrain of Hawaii, surfers trade in their surf boards for snow boards and skis and take advantage of the fresh snow on the Big Island’s summits. Due to the high altitude, not every can cope well with it and the altitude sickness it can bring. Because of that, some people will drive their pick-up trucks to the snow-covered area, shovel as much snow as they can into their truck, and return to the coast for snowball fights and snowman building at the warmer palm-tree lined beaches.

A skier takes in the beautiful snow-covered view …in Hawaii! This is the aftermath of last weekend’s blizzard which covered Mauna Kea, shown here, with snow. Skiers & snowboarders were able to get to the snow for the first time today. #HIwx pic.twitter.com/YbRKbRe49J

— the Weatherboy (@theWeatherboy) December 10, 2021

The summit of Mauna Kea is dotted with visitors who were taking advantage of the pleasant winter weather to enjoy the highest peak and slope in all of Hawaii. Image: Weatherboy

Sine the Kona Low in early December, the Big Island has seen many snow days in which accumulations have added to the base at both Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. It appears Old Man Winter will be leaving Hawaii for a bit, though; no additional snow is expected over the upcoming week.

People wishing to explore the fresh January 1 snowfall in Hawaii may need to wait to see it in person.
The road to the summit of Mauna Kea closed to the public at the Visitor Information Station at an elevation of 9,200 feet on the morning of New Year’s Eve due to high humidity, fog, freezing temperatures, and icy road conditions. A summit road check was done finding the noted conditions, prompting authorities to close it. The Mauna Kea Rangers said in a statement, “We will continue to monitor the summit road and weather conditions with updates to follow.”

Recent snowy scenes in Hawaii from December:

The snow plows cleared the roads nicely, blowing deep snow and drifts off of the pavement here at Mauna Kea where roads finally opened today after the weekend blizzard in Hawaii. Image: Weatherboy

Fire and ice! The puff of clouds/smoke in the very middle of this picture is actually steam and smoke rising from the ongoing volcanic eruption at Kilauea. The volcano can be viewed from the summit of Mauna Kea here today. Image: Weatherboy

The view south towards Kona shows clouds locked-in below the peak of Mauna Loa as far as the eye can see. In the foreground, snow-covered slopes blend in with the nearby white clouds. Image: Weatherboy

Yes, these are actual road signs …in tropical Hawaii! Roads are finally cleared after last weekend’s #blizzard, giving people the chance to explore the wintry landscape on the Big Island today. Snow-capped Mauna Loa is in the distance in this view atop Mauna Kea. #HIwx pic.twitter.com/lIAydWtZ0n

— the Weatherboy (@theWeatherboy) December 10, 2021

Radio telescopes near the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii aim to the sky while the top of nearby Haleakala, Maui's tallest summit, can be seen in the background from this Big Island vantage point. Image: Weatherboy — Radio telescopes near the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii aim to the sky while the top of nearby Haleakala, Maui’s tallest summit, can be seen in the background from this Big Island vantage point. Image: Weatherboy

Snowboarder Quinn Weaver from Kalapana on Hawaii Island's east coast, surveys the slopes of Mauna Kea before gliding down the snow-covered volcanic landscape on his snowboard. Image: Weatherboy — Snowboarder Quinn Weaver from Kalapana on Hawaii Island’s east coast, surveys the slopes of Mauna Kea before gliding down the snow-covered volcanic landscape on his snowboard. Image: Weatherboy

The roads up and down Mauna Kea are dotted with local residents loading up their trucks with snow to bring to their warmer neighborhoods closer to the coast for wintertime fun. Image: Weatherboy — The roads up and down Mauna Kea after the December 2021 Blizzard are dotted with local residents loading up their trucks with snow to bring to their warmer neighborhoods closer to the coast for wintertime fun. Image: Weatherboy

Living up to its name: this is the view out onto the Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve. The nearby hill, the rocky cinder cone called Puʻu Pōhaku contains a rare example of permafrost in the tropics. Image: Weatherboy

The snow will gradually melt away in the coming days with no new significant snow expected in Hawaii over the next several days.