HAWAII ISLAND – A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. this evening to 6 am HST Friday.

The National Weather Service say ice, snow and freezing drizzle is expected for Big Island summits above 12,000 feet.

Total snow accumulation up to 6 inches and ice accumulation up to a quarter of an inch is expected Wednesday night through early Friday morning.

These conditions will make driving and hiking and camping on Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa very hazardous.

The road to the summit of Mauna Kea is closed to the public at the Visitor Information Station, rangers reported at 5:21 a.m.

The summit of Mauna Loa remains closed beyond Red Hill, the National Park Service reports. “Hikers can still obtain an overnight permit and stay at Red Hill Cabin,” read an alert on the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park website. “Backcountry permits to areas above 10,000 feet are temporarily suspended and day hiking is prohibited. Hikers going to Red Hill are be advised to proceed with caution and carry appropriate gear.”

In the advisory area, the National Weather Service says there will be southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 50 mph, and temperature lows near 30, and highs in the upper 30’s. Visibility will be below one quarter mile at times, forecasters say.

As this morning’s webcam image from UKIRT shows, much of the snow has melted at the summit, which was buried in feet of snow over the weekend. Some more could be n the way.