Snow in Hawaii? Cold air and moisture deliver snow to the state’s tallest mountain

Summit is so high -- 4,207 meters above sea level -- that temperatures there can drop below freezing year-round

Snow fell on Hawaii’s tallest peak this week, briefly turning the mountaintop into a winter wonderland. The summit area of Mauna Kea on the Big Island got about five centimetres of white powder.

Hawaii is better known for its warm weather, beaches and rainforests. But it’s not unusual for snow to fall at the higher elevations on Mauna Kea during the wetter, winter months.