Blizzard Covers Peaks of Hawaii

While we’ve been experiencing warmer than normal weather here in Kentucky, a blizzard warning has been in effect for Hawaii since Wednesday. Yes, you read correctly: it has been snowing in Hawaii. According to NASA’s Earth Observatory,

In the past week, the National Weather Service has issued several snowstorm and blizzard warnings for summits higher than 3,400 meters (11,000 feet) on the Big Island. The latest forecast called for freezing fog, strong winds, and blowing snow with possible accumulation of 5–10 centimeters (2–4 inches).

Satellite shows blizzard blanketing Hawaii’s Mauna Kea volcano in snow http://t.co/n9YBSvZD1f pic.twitter.com/tGGEvT9mm7

— BuzzFeed Storm (@BuzzFeedStorm) March 12, 2015

Here’s something you don’t see very often: a #Blizzard Warning in effect for #Hawaii! http://t.co/RPh2BwPLhR pic.twitter.com/1R2Fu4ETTd — NWS (@NWS) March 11, 2015

Picture: (@bigislandnews): #Hawaii‘s #snow-capped Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa from above Tuesday http://t.co/iKWICwzwqo pic.twitter.com/lT0GL20N76

— Johnny Kelly (@stormchaser4850) March 12, 2015

The blizzard warning for the Big Island’s peaks will continue until 6 pm Hawaiian local time. This warning has halted the construction of a telescope – one of the largest in the world – on Mauna Kea’s summit observatory. While it may seem bizarre, snow on the peaks of Hawaii is fairly common in the winter months (Capital Weather Gang).