Snow fell on Hawaii’s tallest peak, Mauna Kea, this week, covering the summit with about 2 inches of white powder. Despite Hawaii being known for its warm weather, beaches, and rainforests, snow is not unusual at higher elevations on Mauna Kea during the wetter, winter months. The summit’s high altitude of 13,803 feet above sea level, combined with temperatures that can drop below freezing year-round, create conditions conducive to snowfall.
The snowfall this week was attributed to an upper-level disturbance bringing colder temperatures and moisture from the east over the islands. Webcams captured the ground covered in white early Monday morning, and the snow had melted within two days. Mauna Kea is a sacred site to Native Hawaiians, with beliefs that it is the first-born son of the sky father and earth mother.
Despite its cultural significance, Mauna Kea is also internationally recognized as an ideal location for astronomical observations due to its limited light pollution and dry atmosphere. The summit hosts approximately a dozen telescopes, contributing to Nobel Prize-winning discoveries and groundbreaking images of planets outside our solar system.
Overall, the snowfall on Mauna Kea this week provided a rare winter wonderland on a tropical paradise, showcasing the diverse climate and unique cultural and scientific significance of Hawaii’s tallest peak.
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