Weather for Traveling

Does It Snow in Hawaii? Where, When and What to Know

Samiul IslamNovember 11, 20268 min read

Does it snow in Hawaii? Yes, on the Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Haleakala summits, never at sea level. NOAA records, access rules and the best months.

8 min read

Yes, but only on the highest mountains. Snow falls on the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island, and now and then on Haleakala on Maui. At sea level, in Honolulu, Hilo and Kahului, NOAA's records, which run through 2013, show no snow at all.

Aerial view of the snow-covered summit of Mauna Kea on Hawaii's Big Island, with observatory domes on the ridge above a dark volcanic slope and a blue sea behind

The summit of Mauna Kea with snow on the ground. Photo: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA, CC BY 4.0.

This is a research-based guide built from NOAA records and official University of Hawaii and National Park Service pages, checked in November 2026. We have not been up Mauna Kea in winter, so every number below comes from a cited source, not from our own trip.

Does it snow in Hawaii?
Why only the summits?
When does it snow?
Can you drive up to see it?
Does it snow in Hawaii today?
Can you play in the snow?
How to see it without the drive
How we got these numbers
Quick answers

Does it snow in Hawaii?

Yes, at altitude. Hawaii's snow belongs to four places: the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa summits on the Big Island, the top of Haleakala on Maui, and, once in a long while, spots a little lower. The coast never sees it. The table runs from the airport weather stations up to the summits.

Place	Elevation	What the record shows
Honolulu airport (Oahu)	7 ft	No snow in about 17,800 daily readings. Coldest night on record: 52°F
Hilo airport (Big Island)	38 ft	No snow in about 17,700 daily readings. Coldest night: 53°F
Kahului airport (Maui)	51 ft	No snow in about 16,100 daily readings. Coldest night: 48°F
Polipoli Spring, Maui	6,200 ft	Snowed 10 February 2019, possibly the lowest snow ever seen in the state
Haleakala summit, Maui	10,023 ft	Snow now and then. Summit area closed in February 2019
Mauna Loa summit, Big Island	13,681 ft	Snow in winter storms. Summit closed in February 2026
Mauna Kea summit, Big Island	13,796 ft	Snow in winter storms. Summit road closed for it repeatedly

The airport rows are our own count from NOAA's daily records. The snow readings in that dataset run from 1949 to 2013 (1954 to 2013 for Kahului), and none of those days shows any snow. The coldest-night figures are the lowest daily minimum in each station's record, all set between 1962 and 1969.

Why does it only snow on the mountain tops?

Because the air gets colder as you climb. The National Park Service says the temperature drops about 3°F for every 1,000 feet, which makes the 10,023-foot Haleakala summit about 30°F cooler than the coast. By the same rule, Mauna Kea's summit runs roughly 40°F cooler than the beach. That is our rough arithmetic, not a measurement.

At sea level the coldest monthly average low is 66.8°F in Honolulu, 64.1°F in Hilo and 63.6°F in Kahului, all in January, per NOAA's 1991-2020 normals. Those are the places where the thermometer never gets near freezing.

When does it snow in Hawaii?

Mostly from December to February, but not only then. The summit storms we could verify fell in February 2019, December 2022, January 2025 and February 2026. We also found a light dusting on the summits on 19 October 2018 and heavy snow on 2 May 2022, so winter is the main season, not the only one. We found no verified snow in August or the other summer months, so we do not claim any.

Two of those storms give a sense of scale. The National Weather Service in Honolulu issued a Winter Storm Warning on 30 January 2025 for 12 to 24 inches on the Big Island summits, with gusts to 85 mph. On 8 February 2026 the warning called for 10 to 16 inches above 11,000 feet, and the Mauna Kea road was closed at the Visitor Information Station.

One honest gap. We could not find an official long-term record of snow days on the summits, because the summits have no climate station like the airports do. We did not find an official record behind the "about once a year" figure some pages quote, so we use the storms we could source and leave the frequency open.

Can you drive up to see the snow?

Sometimes, and only on Mauna Kea. The University of Hawaii runs the Visitor Information Station at 9,200 feet, open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Above it, only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed, and rangers close the road at the station during snow, ice or high wind. After the December 2022 storm, crews needed days to clear eight miles of ice and drifts before the road reopened on 23 December.

The University's own visitor page adds the rules that matter most:

Two-wheel-drive cars are not permitted above the station. The pavement ends about 300 yards past it, followed by 4.5 miles of steep graded gravel. Check your rental car contract first.
The summit is 13,796 feet, with about 40% less oxygen than at sea level. Stop at the station for at least 30 minutes to adjust.
The University does not recommend going above the station if you are pregnant or have a heart or breathing problem. Children under 13 should not go higher.
Do not plan to go up within 24 hours of scuba diving.
Cell phones are limited to emergency calls. The summit is closed to visitors from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

Our guide to altitude sickness covers the symptoms in more depth. It is written for Colorado, but the effect of thin air is the same.

On Maui, Haleakala National Park says summit temperatures run from below freezing to 50-65°F year round, and the summit area was closed for "extreme winter conditions" in February 2019. Check the park's conditions page before you go.

A silversword plant at the summit of Haleakala frozen and coated in snow and ice

A silversword at the Haleakala summit in snow, 2008. Photo: National Park Service, public domain.

Does it snow in Hawaii today?

We cannot tell you what is happening today, but you can check in a minute. The National Weather Service Honolulu office posts warnings for the "Big Island Summits" zone (HIZ028) at weather.gov/hfo. The Maunakea Weather Center shows summit conditions and the road status, and the Visitor Information Station answers at (808) 934-4550.

Can you play in the snow, or ski, in Hawaii?

You can touch it when the road is open, but Hawaii is not a place to plan a snow day around. The University warns that snow on the summit usually has a thick layer of ice on top, the slopes are steep with rock outcrops at the bottom, and tubes or boogie boards with no brakes or steering are strongly discouraged.

Part of the mountain is also sacred. The University notes that Lake Waiau, a short walk from the summit road, is a very sacred site in Hawaiian culture, and the area is a conservation district. Treat the summit as a place to look around carefully, not a playground.

How can you see the snow without the drive?

Look up from below on a clear morning after a storm. The photo below was taken from the Haleakala summit on Maui on 6 January 2023 and shows the snow-topped Mauna Kea across the water on the Big Island. After the February 2019 storm, park officials encouraged people to view the snow from afar rather than drive up.

Distant snow-topped summit of Mauna Kea rising above a layer of clouds, seen from the summit of Haleakala on Maui

Snow on Mauna Kea, seen from Haleakala National Park on Maui, 6 January 2023. Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 2.0.

If a winter storm disrupts your flights, read what to do when a flight is cancelled due to snow. For the mainland picture, see our first snow guide.

How we got these numbers

The airport rows come from NOAA's daily summaries and its 1991-2020 monthly normals for Honolulu, Hilo and Kahului. We dropped one Hilo reading of minus 42°F, which NOAA itself flags as failing its quality checks. The mountain details come from the University of Hawaii's Maunakea visitor pages, the National Park Service, the National Weather Service warnings and local news reports.

Four limits. First, the University gives Mauna Kea's summit as 13,796 feet, while many pages say 13,803, so we use the University's figure. Second, the Polipoli "lowest snow" claim comes from Hawaii's land agency and news reports, not a formal weather service ruling. Third, one popular guide puts the child cutoff at 16, while the University says 13, so we use the University's. Fourth, we found no official summit snowfall totals. Spotted a mistake? Use our contact page, and see our editorial policy for how we handle corrections.

Quick answers

Does it snow in Hawaii every year?

We cannot say. There is no official summit snow record, and we found no source that counts snowy years. We did verify snow on the summits in February 2019, December 2022, January 2025 and February 2026, so it is common in winter, not guaranteed.

Does it snow in Honolulu, Oahu or Maui's beaches?

No. NOAA's daily records for Honolulu, Hilo and Kahului show no snow in tens of thousands of readings, and the coldest night on record at any of them is 48°F. Snow reaches Maui only high on the volcano.

Can I drive up Mauna Kea in a rental car?

Only to the Visitor Information Station at 9,200 feet in a normal two-wheel-drive car. Above it you need four-wheel drive, and your rental company may not allow it. Call the station at (808) 934-4550 and check the Maunakea Weather Center before you go.

Sources

Topics

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