It sounds unbelievable, but it really did snow this week in Hawaii, in the midst of a heat wave that has broken multiple records for July.

A light snow fell on Mauna Kea Friday morning. The summit of the dormant volcano is 13,796 feet above sea level.

The Star Advertiser reports that it is a rare event, but not unheard of, according to a local meteorologist.

Many areas of the state faced flooding from storms that dumped heavy rain across the region.

Hawaii is also in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave. The state has set high temperature records 20 times so far in July.

Maybe the photos of snow will make local residents feel a bit cooler.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez