Most people don’t associate Hawaii with snowstorms. This weekend, that’s it.
The National Weather Service office in Honolulu has issued a winter storm warning until 6 a.m. Monday for Big Island peaks above 12,000 feet. The Kona low pressure system moving across the islands is producing heavy snow in the higher elevations of Hawaii Island, with total snow accumulations possible reaching 10 inches and wind gusts of 60 mph or more, sometimes strong enough to form blizzards.
“Travel may be very difficult or even impossible,” the National Weather Service warned. “Blowing snow will sometimes significantly reduce visibility, sometimes to zero. Any planned travel to the summit should be postponed until the threat is removed.”
View from Mauna Kea Observatory The summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii houses the largest observatory in the world; Mauna Kea, Hawaii, United States of America. (Photography: Stuart Westmoreland/Design Pictures Editorial/Universal Image Group, Getty Images)
What is the Kona Low—and why does it bring snow to Hawaii?
Most people are surprised to find that it actually snows in Hawaii, but the island’s volcanic peaks are among the highest points in the Pacific, with Mauna Kea on the Big Island reaching 13,803 feet. At this altitude, winter storms often bring snow.
Kona low tide is named for the change in wind direction it creates over the islands. Hawaii is generally dominated by trade winds blowing from the northeast. As a low-pressure system moves over the islands, it reverses this flow – pulling large amounts of moisture from the warm tropical waters below and wringing it out over the steep, mountainous terrain. At lower elevations, this means catastrophic flooding rainfall. At the top of a mountain, that means snow.
This is the second consecutive time the Kona Low has affected the Hawaiian Islands, after the system brought heavy snow and widespread flooding earlier this month.
High pressure is expected to build on Monday as the current system exits the area, allowing trade winds to return and giving the islands a chance to recover through the remainder of the week.
This article was originally published by Men’s Journal on March 23, 2026, and first appeared in the News section. Click here to add Men’s Diary as your go-to source.
