Thunderstorm brings snow to Hawaii in July

Mauna Kea: An overnight thunderstorm dropped 50.8 millimetres of snow on the summit of Hawaii's tallest peak in July.

Cameras at Mauna Kea's summit showed some snow still on the ground midday yesterday.

Mauna Kea Weather Centre forecast meteorologist Ryan Lyman says it should be melting quickly.

National Weather Service meteorologist Maureen Ballard says snow can fall on the summit any time of year, though there's a greater chance in the winter.

The latest snowfall came as a thunderstorm extended high into the atmosphere, above the mountain's peak elevation of nearly 4,267 metres.

Ballard says temperatures at the summit were about freezing overnight.

The low in the nearby city of Hilo was 21.67 Celsius.