Wait, There’s Snow On Maui?
While Maui is known for its magnificent beaches, stunning weather, and endless sun, Maui residents were treated to a dream come true that many spent their whole lives wishing about! Over the weekend, Mount Haleakala transformed into what looks like a scene from the Artic Circle.
It’s not the fact that Maui has never seen snow or that Haleakala hasn’t experienced a light dusting of powder, it is the fact that the snow reached as low as Poli Poli State Park.
Myself with my family checking out the Haleakala snow
National Weather Service Meteorologist Melissa Dye spoke with KHON2 and said, “Polipoli State Park, at 6,200 feet they reported snow. that is pretty rare for Maui obviously. I had talked to a ranger this morning and he said they had 4-foot drifts. Very impactful.”
“At 6,200 feet, this may be the lowest elevation at which snow has been recorded in Hawaii,” the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said in an Instagram post.
A rare sight to see a snow capped Haleakala
On the Big Island, the likes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa see snow every year where their elevation reaches more than 13,000 feet. However, at Haleakala with elevation of above 9,000 feet, it sees snow close to every 3-4 years.
The snow came as a result of an approaching storm system known as a Kona Low, which is a chunk of cold, low-pressure air separated from the cold jet stream. The storms usually approach Hawaii from the west or south and usually bring strong winds, flooding, and high surf. Because the weekend system came from the north and was so cold and strong, parts of Maui saw snow this time.
Myself with my son and mother over the weekend
Haleakala Park officials are encouraging everyone to enjoy from a far as the park has been close to the public. Rangers have had to turn visitors away due to icy conditions and low visibility.
Chief Park Ranger Ari Wong stated, “The ice is not melting quickly enough. Anything that does melt is going to refreeze, which is going to make it really hazardous in the morning. There’s no way. As much as we would want to open it, it’s so unsafe.”
State and County officials are continuing to urge caution as severe weather is likely to linger around the state until at least the weekend.
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Anthony Sayles R(S) 808-280-6532Sources:
- http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2019/02/rangers-look-but-dont-go-to-snow/
- https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hawaii-snow-park-polipoli-spring_us_5c631f67e4b0a8731aeaddc1
- https://www.foxnews.com/us/hawaii-sees-snow-from-winter-storm-for-first-time-in-state-park-on-maui