This Is Paradise? Mauna Kea Under Blizzard Warning; Rare Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued as Flooding Rain Pounds Hawaii

Jon Erdman
Published: March 2,2017
Hawaii is being pounded by a storm with flooding rain, strong to severe thunderstorms, and there's a blizzard atop Mauna Kea.
Blizzard warnings were posted early Wednesday morning for the summits on the Big Island above 11,000 feet. This is the first blizzard warning for the summits since March 2015, or nearly two years ago.

Current Hawaii Alerts

According to the National Weather Service, additional snow accumulations of up to 3 inches and southwest winds gusting up to 65 mph were expected into Thursday morning, local time.

A snow-covered Mauna Kea observatory on Mar. 1, 2017.
(University of Hawaii-Hilo)

The road to the summit above 9,200 feet was closed due to snow and ice accumulation, as of Wednesday night, according to the Mauna Kea Weather Center.
Web cams from Mauna Kea Wednesday showed accumulated snow at the observatory, but somewhat improved visibility.
Meanwhile, flooding rain has swamped parts of the islands the past few days. A flash flood watch remains in effect through Thursday night for the Big Island, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Lanai and Kahoolawe.
Severe flash flooding closed a stretch of the Kamehameha Highway on Oahu in Sunset Beach. Four vehicles were floating in flood waters, according to the National Weather Service.
Radar estimated up to 14 inches of rain had fallen over that area from Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning, with rain rates up to 4 inches per hour.
Rockslides blocked lanes of the Hana Highway near Wailua Falls on Maui. Heavy rain had also shifted into Kauai, shutting down the Kuhio Highway at the Hanalei Bridge.
On Wednesday night, water up to two feet deep prompted road closures in Kihei, on the south side of Maui.
If that wasn't enough, on Wednesday morning, the NWS office issued the first severe thunderstorm watch in Hawaii since Aug. 24, 2015, for the threat of large hail and damaging winds.
The so-called "Kona storm," centered southwest of the island chain, is expected to finally lift away later Thursday. These cooler-season storms bring the majority of rainfall to leeward (south- and west-facing shores of the islands) locations between December and March. Winds are shifting from the typical northeast (windward) direction to a southwest (leeward, or Kona) direction with these storms.

Current Radar, Satellite

Hawaii Mountain Snow Isn't Unusual

According to Ken Rubin, an assistant professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Hawaii, "It snows here every year, but only at the very summits of our three tallest volcanoes (Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Haleakala).
In fact, it even snowed atop the summits in late July 2015.
In December 2016, there were a couple of snow events, including one that produced thundersnow at Mauna Kea.
(MORE: 10 Shocking Snow Cities)
Technically, it is possible to ski in Hawaii, but there are a lot of caveats.
Mauna Kea Ski Corp. explains that "Mauna Kea is a National Science Reserve and is not maintained as a ski area. Skiing areas may have unmarked and exposed rocks. Adverse weather conditions may arise unexpectedly ... most runs are for intermediate to advanced skiers/snowboarders ... weather permitting."
In addition, the Hawaii Ski Club cautions potential skiers that "there are no lifts, no grooming, no resort, but a road goes to the summit to serve the dozen or so world-class observatories located at the summit. You must have a four-wheel drive vehicle to get to the summit, which serves as your 'lift.'" The club adds that skiers take turns being the driver, picking up the other skiers at the bottom of the runs and ferrying them up to the summit.
(MORE: 10 Facts About Snow That May Surprise You)
"Conditions at the top are extremely variable. Winter temperatures range from 25 to 40 degrees, but wind chill and the high altitude can make it seem much colder. Between April and November, the weather is milder, with daytime temperatures varying from 30 to 60 degrees."
Bottom line, it may be better to hang ten near the beach rather than ski down a Hawaiian mountain. Thankfully, technology is on snowbirds' side: beautiful views of Mauna Kea's peaks can be seen via the Mauna Kea Weather Center's webcams.
(MORE: Weather Bucket List: 10 Things to See)
Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been an incurable weather geek since a tornado narrowly missed his childhood home in Wisconsin at age 7.