Just when you thought Hawaii couldn’t be any more picturesque, snow hit the peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on Thursday.
The absolutely stunning videos and photos shared by AccuWeather and other outlets show the thick blanketing of white powder atop the typically barren volcanic slopes on Hawaii’s Big Island. The surprising weather event was caused by a well-sized storm system called “Kona Low,” which brings heavy rain and flooding to the tropical paradise, according to Weatherboy.
Rangers and staff at Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s highest volcanic peak, closed the roads earlier in the week due to high humidity, flurries, icy conditions and fog. But now the area has to be ploughed so the handful of researchers who reside there can access the site.
It’s snowing in Hawaii? ☃️🤔 At over 13,000 feet, the peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa do get some snow each winter. Today is one of those days. Only researchers reside there. pic.twitter.com/74iEYWX5ZM
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) November 30, 2023
While Hawaii does not suffer through extremes of cold during the winter, snow is known to accumulate high in the mountains. They’re also prone to blizzards, according to the National Weather Service. So while you might not imagine Hawaiians would ever need a snow plough, they most certainly do!
The snow is a stark contrast to the deadly wildfires that ripped through Maui in August, killing at least 80 people and destroying one of the state’s most important historical towns. Very little has been done by the Biden Administration or any politicians to recover the loss for the Hawaiian people. (RELATED: ‘Get Back On The F***ing Plane’: Maui Resident Blasts Biden, Says ‘We’re Not Getting Anything’)
President Joe Biden did offer to send each family something like $700 each to make up for the destruction of their heritage, homes, businesses, town and community. I’m not sure if any of it reached Hawaii, though. I think it probably got lost somewhere on the way from D.C. as it flew over Ukraine.