9781422269527

Yes, it can snow in Hawaii! Look at the amazing snow at Mauna Kea Observatory, which is located at an elevation of 13,796 feet (4,205 meters) on the big island of Hawaii.

It is no surprise that the coldest place on Earth gets severe blizzards. Even though Antarctica is considered a desert due to the little amount of precipitation it gets each year, blizzards occur there over half the year. Due to the consistently cold temperatures, when it does snow or rain, it just freezes, explaining why the continent is covered by a permanent sheet of ice. The blizzards occur when wind gusts that can reach up to 120 mph (193 kph) blow around already fallen and loose snow.

Watch this clip of a blizzard that occurred in Buffalo, New York.

13

What Makes a Blizzard