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Haleakala winter wonderland: Trips up to snow still not happening

Haleakala’s summit remains closed today

By KEHAULANI CERIZO and MATTHEW THAYER 3 min read

It's still a no-go for snow trips, as Haleakala National Park is staying closed for sunrise viewing and park visits today due to "extremely dangerous" travel conditions.

The National Weather Service continued its winter weather advisory for Hawaii's mountain summits through 10 a.m. today, with occasional snow flurries forecast for the highest spots atop Haleakala, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

The Maui News got a firsthand escorted view of the summit Friday. Conditions were a mix of snow, ice and slush. Hazardous, slippery roads led to some sliding while driving and rain impacted visibility for portions of the day.

The park visitor center and its stairs were covered in ice, and thick, approximately 6-inch chunks were falling off the roof, adding to safety issues.

Despite the National Weather Service warning of "extremely dangerous" travel conditions to the summit, at least a dozen vehicles turned around at the locked gate below Hosmer Grove Campground on Friday.

The district will reopen as temperatures warm, which may be as early as this weekend, park spokeswoman Nancy Stimson said Friday.

Down at sea level, a high-surf advisory is in effect for north- and east-facing shores of Maui and Molokai until 6 this evening, with waves of 10 to 16 feet predicted along exposed east-facing shores. The weather service warns of waves sweeping across beaches, powerful shore breaks and strong rip currents.

Brief, heavy showers are expected through the weekend, leading to more prolonged rain and potential flooding as early as Monday night, according to the Maui Emergency Management Agency.

The agency urged residents to prepare for potential flooding next week by having supplies at home and altering plans to reduce unnecessary travel.

Also, the Maui Fire Department advised against hiking, especially along streams and rivers.

Maui Electric Co. cautioned people about downed power lines, which have occurred throughout the week due to high winds and rain. Do not touch or approach the lines, MECO said. Instead, report it to the company at 871-7777.

County closures include the following:

• Baldwin Beach Park in Paia was closed Friday due to heavy rain and flooding.

• Hana Bay pavilion was closed Friday until further notice after a portion of its roof was blown off. County staff will be removing loose material and securing the site.

• Keanae Park restrooms were closed Friday due to damage from heavy rain and strong wind. County staff aims to reopen them Monday and encouraged people to use nearby park restrooms.

Over a 24-hour period starting at 4 p.m. Thursday, the Puu Kukui gauge in the West Maui Mountains experienced 3.63 inches of rain and the West Wailuaiki gauge in East Maui reached 3.34 inches -- the second and third highest totals in the state. Big Island's Laupahoehoe had the highest total at 3.96 inches.

A Lanai wind advisory of localized gusts up to 50 mph across the island was lifted at midnight.

A weak low east of Hawaii will move north through today, then shift west to the north of the state through the weekend. This will curb wind and rain in upcoming days, but unsettled weather is forecast to make a return during the early to middle part of next week as deep tropical moisture tracks north over the island chain.

"Improving conditions appear in line by late next week," the service added.

For current weather notifications affecting Maui County, go to MauiCounty.gov.

For information on the national park, visit nps.gov/haleakala.

To sign up for Maka'ala notifications from the Maui Emergency Management Agency, go to MauiCounty.gov/emergency.

* Kehaulani Cerizo can be reached at kcerizo@mauinews.com.

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