Freeze-thaw

It's likely that the heavy snowfalls on Mauna Kea's summit are over until next winter, although I have known it snow in July! There's still plenty of ice and snow at the summit and until the sun moves further north in the sky it will remain in places shielded from direct sunlight. Even in those areas the ice is melting as daytime temperatures rise to well above freezing. At night, however, the temperature drops again and the melting ice refreezes, leading to some odd-looking effects.