An expected 12 inches of snow could hit Hawaii over the weekend.
The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for the tropical islands lasting through Sunday and added that it isn’t totally unusual for snow to touch down in Hawaii. Still, a blizzard warning hasn’t been issued in Honolulu in three and a half years, according to the Iowa mesonet data site.
When it comes to higher elevations—like the summits of the Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes at over 13,000 feet—snow tends to fall when hit with cold fronts and heavy rain, according to the Weather Channel. The Mauna Kea Weather Center offers some live camera feeds so residents and onlookers can check out views of the snow-covered summit whenever.
The NWS is recommending residents stay indoors, as the warning remains in effect from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Sunday and winds are predicted to reach 100mph. And as the NWS shares, only two states had blizzard warnings on Friday: Hawaii and Alaska.
“Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility at times, with periods of zero visibility,” the warning reads. “Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle.”
A Kona low—a type of seasonal cyclone—is also expected on Hawaii on Saturday night, causing both wet and “unsettled” weather. At this point, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Hawaii is 12 degrees back on May 17, 1979 at the Mauna Kea Observatory.
