Icy conditions close Mauna Kea access road; summit receives dusting of snow

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Mauna Kea’s access road is closed above Hale Pohaku following a dusting of snow.

Mauna Kea’s access road is closed above Hale Pohaku following a dusting of snow.

Icy conditions prompted the closure, said National Weather Service meteorologist Derek Wroe, who noted precipitation is mostly falling in the form of freezing rain.

A winter weather advisory for Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa will remain in effect through Tuesday morning.

The weather service was predicting less than an inch of snow falling, mostly tonight.

“The chances of significant snowfall are pretty small,” Wroe said.

Webcams from telescopes on the mountain showed patches of snow with some ice hanging from the buildings Monday morning.

Chances of snowfall drop significantly after tonight, Wroe noted.