© 2026 ABC News

A blizzard warning for tropical Hawaii may come as a surprise, but snow is not uncommon; the summits of the Big Island's Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes reach nearly 14,000 feet in elevation.

A flood watch has been also issued for all Hawaiian islands through Monday afternoon, as a prolonged period of heavy rainfall is anticipated over the weekend.

\"PHOTO:
NOAA
PHOTO: Satellite Imagery of the Hawaii Islands, Dec. 3, 2021.
>

\"Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible,\" the alert said.

\"Landslides may also occur in areas with steep terrain,\" it warned.

#FloodWatch in effect for ALL islands through Monday afternoon 12/6/21#BePrepared and #KnowYourHazardshttps://t.co/Ti5kqamZFV https://t.co/wlDtm0Imxn

— Hawaii EMA (@Hawaii_EMA) December 3, 2021

The \"very active weather\" in Hawaii is due to what's known as the kona low, a seasonal cyclone that pulls moisture from the south, according to Weather Channel meteorologist Ari Sarsalari.

\"The coverage of the precipitation is going to get a little more intense into the weekend,\" Sarsalari said in a video update Friday. \"This is going to be a lot of rain, so be prepared for some flooding issues.\"

The slow-moving kona low is expected to bring the \"greatest potential for heavy rain\" over Maui and the Big Island, NWS Honolulu said.

\"PHOTO:
ABC News
PHOTO: A storm system will be sweeping from the northern Rockies to northern Great Lakes later this weekend.
>

Elsewhere in the United States, a storm system is expected to sweep from the northern Rockies to northern Great Lakes, bringing a blast of snow and gusty winds later this weekend. Winter storm watches and warnings have been issued from Montana to northern Wisconsin, where more than a half a foot of snow is possible this weekend.

Strong, gusty winds will also impact parts of the northern Rockies later Saturday into Saturday night. High wind alerts are in effect from Great Falls, Montana, to Cheyenne, Wyoming.

ABC News' Dan Peck and Max Golembo contributed to this report.

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