Hawaii storm drops a foot of rain, 120 mph winds, blizzard
Hawaii may conjure images of warm, tropical beaches, but the island is getting extreme winds, flooding rain and even a blizzard.
When you think of places where snow falls in October, Hawaii may not be your first guess, but the peak of Mauna Kea is no stranger to wintry weather.
When you think about Hawaii, what comes to mind? Warm beaches, swaying palm trees and pineapples? Probably not a blizzard. But this week, meteorologists say hurricane-force winds and 2 feet of snow will grace the peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in the island state.
Winds of 120 mph were clocked at the Maui County comms station on the summit of Haleakala Thursday night, the National Weather Service reported. Over a foot of rain had fallen on the island of Maui in the last day, with 13.18" reported at Red Hill. A number of roads were closed due to fallen trees and flooding.
"A potent storm passing north of the islands is sending a cold front across the islands, bringing rain, thunderstorms, wind and even snow through Friday night," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis says.
A winter storm warning was issued for the island peaks by the National Weather Service for Friday. That advisory predicted 12 to 24 inches of snow, blown and drifted by 85-mph winds, leading to impossible travel conditions. Some snow was being plowed at the Keck Observatory, as shown by webcam images Friday morning.
The volcanic mountains, which rise to over 13,500 feet, are no stranger to snow or high winds during the winter months, but a full-on blizzard typically isn't guaranteed every year. When the roads to the peaks close, only a handful of scientific researchers remain. According to webcams on Mauna Kea, snow has accumulated this season Oct. 28, Nov. 6 and Jan. 13.
A webcam on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, shows a snowplow removing snow from the parking lot on the morning of Jan. 31, 2025. (Keck Observatory)
The remainder of the islands are experiencing windy and stormy conditions. On Thursday, the NWS issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the island of Kauai, the first such advisory to be issued since April 12, 2024.
"In Kauai and Oahu, the collision of cool and tropical air will spawn thunderstorms with the potential to turn severe with damaging wind gusts and even a waterspout or two," Travis explained, adding, "Extreme winds are also forecast with the storm, with widespread gusts of 30-40 mph across the islands."
A webcam shows a snowy Canada-France Hawaii Telescope on top of Mauna Kea, Hawaii Dec. 7, 2021 (Mauna Kea Weather Center)
