Category Archives: Environment

Environment, National Parks, Weather

Haleakala Maui Snowstorm Update

The road to Haleakala National Park in Maui reopened today after being closed for most of this week due to snow and ice. Most of the snow has already melted, except for a few pockets. Conditions are still wintry: about 35-degrees F with driving wind and rain. The National Weather Service forecasts more freezing temperatures and another storm system on the way. The Park Service expects to reassess the conditions later this afternoon to determine if the road will remain open.

Summit Road is Open but Some Park Areas are Off-Limits
Even though the road up is open, some areas of the Park are closed. Several popular trails are closed due to dangerous, icy conditions. These include Sliding Sands, Switchbacks and O’heo stream trails. The trail from Paliku to Kaupo is permanently closed. Until the weather improves, no camping is allowed in the Park. Highway 31 from Ulupalakua to Kipahulu is also closed. This impacts those driving in from Hana. It’s no longer possible to avoid the “Road the Hana” (or Hana Highway, officially known as primary state route 36 and secondary state route 360) by going around Maui’s drier south side.

Never Judge the Penthouse from the Lobby
Would-be visitors to Haleakala National Park should expect very different conditions in the Park than at sea level. Keep mind that for every 1,000-feet of elevation gain, the temperature drops three degrees. So driving from Kihei or Lahaina to the summit means a difference of -30 degrees. Balmy 70-degree weather at the beach typically translates into frigid 40-degree weather at the summit. Shorts, a t-shirt and a light jacket won’t cut it. Mainland winter gear is more like it.

4WD Doesn’t Help
Black ice is the main reason why the Park Service closes the road to the summit. The winding hairpin road was not designed for chains, and chains are the only way to safely maneuver when the road is frozen. Having a 4WD vehicle doesn’t help because on black ice, the vehicle just rides higher as it slides around. The narrow road is flanked by unforgiving lava, and the Park service doesn’t have the manpower to clear the potential wreckage.

Save It for Summer
Many visitors decide to venture up anyway. The driving time from Kihei or Lahaina to the summit is about two hours. Add another two hours to return. So even if the road is open, making the four hour trip to snap a photo of the clouds while freezing in the current white out conditions may not be worth it.

It might be better to hit the hot tub and save the trek to Haleakala for next time–especially if it’s summer when conditions are generally spectacular. On a clear day when the weather is better and standing outside the car is not a form of waterboarding, it’s possible to see three islands from the summit. That’s also when the unqiue and endangered silversword plants bloom.

For additional weather details, contact the National Weather Service at (808) 877-5111.

Environment, National Parks, Weather

Hawaii Snowstorm in 2008 Among Worst Ever

Cold, wet weather has dumped over three inches of snow at the summit of Maui’s tallest peak, Haleakala, over the past few days. The Big Island summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa have also been whited out. All of the roads to the summits have been closed since Tuesday.

However, on Maui the National Park Service briefly opened the road to Haleakala Wednesday morning urging drivers to use extreme caution. They are likely to close the road again by Wednesday evening as the melting snow freezes causing dangerously icy conditions. Conditions are forecast to clear and the road opened by Thursday.

Pretty Chilly Down Below, Too
For locals like me that live near sea level in houses without heat (or even windows in my case) this means that chilly temperatures and heavy rain will continue. It’s time to break out the extra blankets and socks and hope they’re not moldy. People on water catchment and county water users alike will rejoice at the welcome break in otherwise drought conditions.

Visitors to any of the summits, whether on Maui or the Big Island, have been advised by the National Park Service, to call ahead to see if the road is open before heading up. The Park Service is strongly encouraging visitors curious about Hawaiian snow to use the same common sense that would apply on the Mainland: dress appropriately, drive carefully and be prepared to turn around.

Visitors to the summit are also asked not to take any snow with them. It’s likely to contain rare plant seeds, such as that of the endangered Silversword, and insects found only at high altitudes in Hawaii.

More details, including animated maps, about the weather on Haleakala, Maui, the Big Island or Hawaii in general can be found at the Haleakala Weather Center.

Environment, National Parks, Weather

Snow in Maui: Haleakala Road Closed

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On Monday night, freezing conditions mixed with heavy precipitation resulted in the unlikely: Snow in Maui. Dangerous driving conditions caused officials to close the road up to Haleakala on Tuesday. Another one to three more inches is expected to fall in the next few days.

(Haleakala Snow. Photo courtesy of Adam Burgasser)

Another recent picture of the snow on the summit of Haleakala was posted by Aubrey Hord .

Haleakala is Maui’s towering volcanic crater, the summit of which reaches over 10,000-feet above sea level. Even in summer the summit has normally harsh conditions–extremely dry air, gusty winds and freezing temperatures. The right mix of heavy precipitation brought by a low pressure winter storm and chilly air result in layers of the white stuff that reach down to about the 7,000-foot level.

How Often Does It Snow in Maui?
Snow is not common in Maui although it has happened before–perhaps as often as once every few years. The last time I saw snow on Haleakala was January 2006 during one of the wettest winters on record in the islands. It blanketed the highest cinder cones for about three days.

All of this is hard to imagine possible while sitting on a sunny beach in Kihei, Wailea, Kaanapali, Lahaina or Paia where daytime temperatures are usually in the balmy 80’s and a gentle tradewind breeze keeps the humidity in check. For the next few days at least, it will be possible to gaze up at the snow-capped summit from the comfort of warmth down below.

The road to the summit should reopen when the conditions improve. Before heading up to the summit, call the Haleakala National Park headquarters to check on the status of the road at (808) 572-4400 between the hours of 8 AM and 4 PM HST Monday through Friday or visit them online at Haleakala National Park.

Snow also fell on Hawaii’s two tallest mountains, Mauna Kea and Maun Loa, on the Big Island. Additional details about the snowy conditions are available a:
msnbc.com
KITV
Maui News
Honolulu Star Bulletin
Liza’s Eyeview
mauimeadows.com
Jonara Blu