First significant snow of the season on Mauna Kea

[TomK]

It's been snowing at the summit since this morning - a few inches last time I checked with perhaps another 6 inches to come over the next day. The road to the summit has been closed to all traffic, it's impassable at the 5-mile marker (about 12,000 feet). Should be a good view from sea level once conditions clear, but that might not be for a while.

[Carey]

Even the Mauna Loa climate observatory has a nice coat of snow today...
Images of KCAM & Mauna Loa Deck Cam (added a pic of ukirt with the snow tractor & sun shine at MLO today):
https://www.dropbox.com/lightbox/home/Jan2014Snow

[kapohololo]

Great link! My wife and I are discussing going up there this week to enjoy the snow.

[opihikao]

Magnificent! Mahalo for the info and links. Poli'ahu, she is something!

Perhaps of interest:

Poli'ahu - The icy goddess of Mauna Kea was not easy for swains to approach.
Poli`ahu, whose name means “cloaked bosom,” or “temple bosom,” is a legendary daughter of Wakea who dwells at the summit of Mauna Kea. As the chill snow goddess, she is the antithesis of her fiery arch-rival, Pele.
It is Poli`ahu who spreads her beautiful white kapa across the summit of Mauna Kea in the winter, and adorns the mountain with her pink and gold cloak in the summer.
She is the goddess of Mauna o Wakea (today often called Mauna Kea), snow, ice, and cold. The summit of Mauna Loa also is hers, though she occasionally still has arguments with Pele regarding that. She is the eldest daughter of Kane. Her younger sisters are her ladies in waiting. Many men have pursued her.

http://www.kaahelehawaii.com/pages/culture_Poliahu.htm


(*One of the legends of Poli'ahu is below the interpretation of the song Frank Kawai Hewett wrote. The legend is the same our kupuna shared. JMO.)

http://www.huapala.org/Po/Poliahu.html

[Carey]

Hopefully, this is the snow that is needed to resurrect Waiau...

[TomK]

Carey - it can't do any harm, but the last few winters have been unusually dry and compared to the snow falls we used to get a few years ago this isn't that big, although it's the biggest in two or three years I think. Because there have been so many dry winters I don't think this will help too much on its own, but we will see. Kapahololo - I'd be surprised if the road opens this week, especially given the forecast. The weekend might be possible if no more significant snow falls. Next week is a much better bet (but the forecast isn't good for then either). We did get a crew up there briefly this evening for a short while (winter equipped 4WD) and they ended up rescuing a poorly-equipped hiker above 12,000 feet. What they were doing there I have no idea, but have a feeling our crew saved a life this evening.

[LavaOcean]

Went up to Mauna Loa today it was a blast took the keiki as well school was out early its Wednesday. Road was covered near the top with up to 12 inches of pineapple powder. Only a hand fully of truck loads of snow enthusiasts on the hill armed with boogie boards & the couple of us with snowboards. Was a hoot to say the least hope they open up Mauna Kea road tomorrow started to snow as we were leaving around 5pm

[oceangirl]

We are so blessed to live in such a diverse place