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    Where Is It Snowing This Winter? Hawaii

    Snow may be lacking from most of the United States, but one state had a snowy Presidents Day: Hawaii.

    Snow covered the tops of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, two of the five volcanoes that form Hawaii, as seen in photos from the U.S. Geological Survey.

    Mauna Kea is nearly 14,000 feet (4,200 meters) above sea level, making it the highest peak in Hawaii (if measured from the seafloor, it's the tallest mountain in the world). This mountain is known for snow — its name means "white mountain" in Hawaiian. According to Hawaiian mythology, Poli'ahu, a goddess of snow, lives here. Mauna Loa is slightly shorter.

    The summits' temperatures often dip well below freezing during the winter, and sometimes even into the summer. Even a June snowfall on Mauna Kea is possible. In June 2011, Mauna Kea had its first June snowfall in decades, according to Ryan Lyman, a forecast climatologist at the Mauna Kea Weather Center.

    "It's the first June snow event we've had in probably close to 30 years," Lymantold Life's Little Mysteries at the time, "but there have been episodes in July and August as well as late May."

    Snowstorms can form atop the mountain when cold air in the upper atmosphere comes down from the mid-latitudes and mixes with hot air rising from the land that is heated throughout the day. When warm surface air hits the cold air in the upper atmosphere, a thunderstorm can form, dumping snow on the summit.

    That formula could return today (Feb. 21). The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory until 6 p.m. local time for the Big Island summits above 1,000 feet (300 m). Snow showers with up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) of accumulation and brief periods of freezing rain are expected.

    You can follow OurAmazingPlanet staff writer Brett Israel on Twitter: @btisrael. Follow OurAmazingPlanet for the latest in Earth science and exploration news on Twitter @OAPlanet and on Facebook.

     

    16 comments

    • VOX  •  Manila, Philippines  •  3 mths ago
      Ummmm, that would be for Big Island summits above 10,000 feet...not 1,000 feet.
    • Powmia  •  3 mths ago
      I live in New Hampshire. we had one major snow storm this year. 2 feet of snow in October.
      we have had none since. I do not blame Global Warming, but with out the snow from the winter, there is no water from the melt.
      • oo 3 mths ago
        no one cares .
      • Powmia 3 mths ago
        at least I know you care, or you wouldn't of replied to my post
    • Rog  •  Independence, Missouri  •  3 mths ago
      1918 feb,21: Granville, North Dakota, experienced a spectacular chinook temperature swing. The temperature rose from -33F in the morning to 50F in the afternoon...... If this happened today it would be called global warming or climate change.
      • John 3 mths ago
        Only by those who don't know the difference between weather and climate.
      • Rog 3 mths ago
        Apparently you dont. Because it is one and the same. Look up the weather on this date as far back as recorded.It has been really hot and been really cold.Guess what? It will continue to be so.
    • Dr. Bob  •  3 mths ago
      So, Frosty the Snow man decided to take a trip to Hawaii.
      • Powmia 3 mths ago
        Thank you for making me smile
      • Dr. Bob 3 mths ago
        Thank you for your service to your country; From one Vet. to another.
    • Bill  •  3 mths ago
      Well, duh. In English, Mauna Kea literally means "white mountain".
      • JMOKE 3 mths ago
        Yeah, but I thought the planet was warming? How can there be snow in Hawaii?
      • Bill 3 mths ago
        It's at 14,000 feet, ya' dumb jmoke. It's called "white mountain" because there's *always* snow there. Sheesh, you people, seriously.
    • Stratos  •  3 mths ago
      That's it!?
      Headline, "It's snowing in Hawaii this winter"
      news: "on the top of a 14000 foot mountain."
      Seriously? THAT's news? It snowed on top of a mountain?!
    • AnneFranke  •  3 mths ago
      I'm sure they would be a great pics if only they were visible to the naked eye!
      • Mr Dobbolina 3 mths ago
        Comic books just not giving you the pleasure anymore?
      • scaryn01 3 mths ago
        you can see the top of the mountains with your naked eye
    • sivdog  •  Mililani Town, Hawaii  •  3 mths ago
      Mauna Kea is so much fun!!!drive up to almost14,000 feet from sea level,get out of the car in slippers and see how fast and far you can run before your lungs explode!!,make a couple of dicey snowboard runs,fill the back of your truck up with snow and make snowmen down on the beach....nowhere else like it!!!!!!
    • SouthSiderz  •  3 mths ago
      It matters little what science proves anymore.
      The GOP and Foreign Owned Fox News will ALWAYS say they know better.
    • Mr Dobbolina  •  Bremerton, Washington  •  3 mths ago
      Nice, it seems freaky weather is getting more FREAKQUENT !
    • bill  •  Prior Lake, Minnesota  •  3 mths ago
      al gore had 4 kids... humans must not be that bad...
    • RedRed  •  3 mths ago
      Snow? On a 14,000 ft mountain peak? Shock. Not.
    • Robert F  •  Bossier City, Louisiana  •  3 mths ago
      Here in Louisiana we had no winter to speak of ...it was really strange
    • Ch  •  3 mths ago
      GLOBAL WARMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • JMOKE  •  3 mths ago
      Where's the debate! Thsi is clearly global warming or is it freezing. Speaking of debate: Patrick J. Michaels received his Ph.D. in ecological climatology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1979. His most recent book is Meltdown: The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians, Patrick wanted to debate algore about his claims about global warming, but algore’s office has declined his invitation.
      See there's NO debate!!!! "liberalism is a mental disorder"
    • Ghost  •  3 mths ago
      Some thing tells me our earth isn't quite following its normal rotation cycle !!
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