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COURTESY MAUNA KEA WEATHER CENTER
The Keck 1 telescope is obscured this afternoon by whiteout conditions on Mauna Kea.
Blowing snow, strong winds, and poor visibility on Hawaii island’s summits were making conditions extremely dangerous for travel with possible whiteout conditions, the National Weather Service said.
Big Island summits above 11,000 feet were under a blizzard warning today through 6 a.m. tomorrow. A low pressure system system near Kauai was bringing the conditions to the summits.
New snowfall of six to 10 inches, ice and strong winds were expected for the summits, the weather service said.
Winds were forecast to be 45 to 55 mph from the southwest with gusts of up to 65 mph. Visibility will be less than a quarter-mile during heavier precipitation.
A blizzard warning means severe weather conditions are expected or occurring. The warning replaces a previous winter storm warning.
The weather service urged people not to travel in the area and to have a winter survival kit if you must travel.
The National Park Service closed the summit of Mauna Loa because of the blizzard warning.
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