Mauna Kea covered in snow - Earth.com

Today’s Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features snow on the peak of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii. 

During the first week of December 2021, a low-pressure system called a “Kona low” developed northwest of Hawaii.

According to NASA, the storm brought high winds, intense rainfall, and flash flooding, along with reports of landslides, downed trees, and power outages. 

The Honolulu airport received 7.92 inches of rain on December 6, which is the second-highest rainfall total ever recorded in Honolulu in a single day. Meanwhile, Maui recorded 12.86 inches of rain.

On the “Big Island,” the storm dumped 14.26 inches of rain and prompted a blizzard warning for Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Blizzard conditions are rare for Hawaii, but not for Mauna Kea, which has an elevation of 13,803 feet.

The image was captured on December 7 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

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