Hawaii sees snow before parts of Canada

Research cameras first detected snow on the ground on the peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on Tuesday. The National Weather Service says a total of up to 10 cm of snow is possible.

"Hawaii may be a tropical paradise, but its highest peaks, where the winds can be thin, don't have snow," explains Weather Network Meteorologist Nadine Hinds-Powell.

"Mauna Kea Peak on the Big Island is over 4,200 meters high, and it sometimes snows. Occasionally, the National Weather Service in the U.S. issues weather advisories and warnings for the peak. In fact, snow is common in every season except summer."

Snow in Hawaii before parts of Canada?

While snowfall is common on Mauna Kea, what makes this weather event interesting is that Hawaii has now officially experienced snowfall earlier in the year than other typically "snowy" areas, such as the Okanagan in British Columbia and Boston, Massachusetts in the U.S.

"Here in Canada, winter is already in full swing in many areas, but there are some cities that haven't seen snow yet," Nadine says.

"Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal saw the earliest snowfall in Canada, receiving over 10 cm of snow by early November. Cities like Vancouver and Victoria are among those still waiting for their first snowfall, although these cities are usually a little late to the party."

Charlottetown, PEI, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, have received very little snowfall so far this year, leaving them snow-free, especially compared to Mauna Kea.

Nadine says that in this case, altitude triumphed over latitude.

"Mauna Kea is at 19.82°N, while Vancouver and Victoria are at more northerly latitudes of 49.28°N and 48.42°N, respectively." Mauna Kea is considered one of the best places in the world for sky observation due to its climate and altitude. The site houses 13 telescopes funded by 11 countries.