While snow in Hawaii may surprise many, it is a regular event on the state's tallest volcanic peaks. The high elevations of Mauna Kea (a dormant volcano), which rises to 13,796 feet, and Mauna Loa (the world's largest active volcano), at 13,678 feet, create a sub-Arctic climate at their summits. According to Tom Birchard, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, snowfall occurs on average five to eight times per year, primarily during Hawaii's wet season from October through April.