Strong storm brings damage – and snow – to Hawaii

HONOLULU – A strong storm hitting Hawaii has knocked out power, brought down tree branches, flooded coastal roads — and even brought snow.

Snow is not unheard of in mountainous parts of the tropical island chain, but officials say the coating at 6,200 feet (1,900 metres) at a state park on Maui could mark the lowest-elevation snowfall ever recorded in the state.

The National Weather Service says gusts hit nearly 70 mph (110 kph) in some areas, and the agency is warning of coastal flooding. A high-surf advisory was in effect for north- and west-facing shores of several islands.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that trees were toppled on several islands along with power outages and roof damage. Two ground hornbill birds escaped from the Honolulu Zoo after the storm damaged their enclosure.

Hawaii News Now reported that one man was injured when a utility pole crashed on his vehicle. Other minor injuries were reported.