Hawaii recorded what may be the lowest elevation snow in state history

Reel News Hawaii posted a video of a motorist driving in snow on Haleakala at 10,000 feet on Maui. Reel News Hawaii posted a video of a motorist driving in snow on Haleakala at 10,000 feet on Maui. Photo: Twitter Screen Grab Photo: Twitter Screen Grab Image 1 of / 25 Caption Close Hawaii recorded what may be the lowest elevation snow in state history 1 / 25 Back to Gallery

Snow falls in Hawaii a few times a year in winter on the state's highest peak, Mauna Kea rising 13,803 elevation in feet, but the white stuff is rarely seen at elevations below 9,000 feet to 10,000 feet.

On Sunday, Maui's 10,ooo-foot Haleakala received a thick dusting and snow also accumulated at 6,200 feet in Polipoli State Recreation Area.

Officials at the Department of Land and Natural Resources say this could mark the lowest-elevation snowfall ever recorded in the state.

A low-pressure system the National Weather Service is calling "historic" slammed the Hawaiian Islands Sunday, knocking out power, bringing down tree branches, flooding coastal roads and delivering an unusually heavy dump of snow.

While most weather systems sweeping Hawaii come from the southwest, this unusually chilly storm dove down from the north.

"This storm was uncharted territory for us," says Melissa Dye, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Honolulu.

The National Weather Service is still tracking snowfall totals and hopes to release more information Monday.

"I spoke to a ranger at Haleakala and he couldn't confirm how much snow had fallen because it was blowing around so much," says Dye. "Same thing on Mauna Kea."

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The storm also delivered whipping winds and Dye says a 191 mph gust was recorded at 4:41 p.m. on Maua Kea and. A high-wind warning remains in effect through 6 a.m. Monday.

A high-surf advisory was in effect for north- and west-facing shores of several islands.

The state closed all state and county beach parks and camp sites and the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa early Sunday ahead of the storm.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.