The National Weather Service (NWS) in Honolulu, Hawaii has issued a Winter Storm Warning for portions of Hawaii’s Big Island due to the threat of heavy snow. According to the NWS, up to 10″ of fresh snow could fall on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
A band of deep moisture will move over the Big Island later this afternoon with cold air aloft. According to the NWS, this band will produce periods of heavy snow later this evening which is forecast to last through Tuesday night. Unlike recent events that brought snow levels in Maui down to 6,000 feet and snow down to 9,000 feet on Hawaii, the snow levels for this system should start above the 11,000 feet elevation.
The Winter Storm Warning, which runs from 6pm today through 6am Wednesday, local time, is for heavy snow; accumulations of 5-10″ is expected. In the Warning area, the National Weather Service cautions people to prepare for icy roads and rapidly decreasing visibility. As is usual with these snow events, summit roads will likely be closed. It is possible travel will become difficult if not impossible in the height of the snowstorm.
This winter storm comes just days after snow fell on Maui and Hawaii. While not breaking records, the rare snow on Maui was a sight to be seen by many residents and tourists not expecting to see snow well below volcanic peaks. Snow on Hawaii’s Big Island is a more common sight, with high peaks often capped with snow during the winter months despite their tropical location.
