MEDIA RELEASE

Friday, December 10, 2010 – 02:30 p.m.

View from Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea at 8:58 a.m Friday (Dec 10).

The Mauna Kea Access Road to the summit is closed above the Visitor Information Station due to snow and ice on the summit roads, thick fog and deteriorating weather conditions. The road will probably be closed tomorrow. We will continue to update this message as conditions change.

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
806 AM HST FRI DEC 10 2010

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UPGRADED TO A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS…

BIG ISLAND SUMMITS-
INCLUDING…MAUNA LOA AND MAUNA KEA ABOVE 8000 FEET
806 AM HST FRI DEC 10 2010

…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST SATURDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW WHICH IS POSSIBLE UNTIL 6 AM HST SATURDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

DEEP MOISTURE WILL SPREAD OVER THE BIG ISLAND TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE ABUNDANT MOISTURE COMBINED WITH COLD TEMPERATURES WILL BRING HEAVY SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN TO THE SUMMIT AREAS ABOVE 12 THOUSAND FEET. TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW… SLEET…AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

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