Some recent headlines might make it sound like huge snow dumps on Hawaii are a rare and unusual occurrence, but they're just playing into your assumptions about how the cold stuff works.

If your mental image of Hawaii features flawless beaches, juicy pineapples, and simmering volcanoes, you might be wondering where flurries could possibly fit in. But it's true: Hawaiians recently received several feet of snow. Because, well, duh.

Hawaii's recent snowfall took place on summits like Mauna Kea—a volcano that peaks nearly 14,000 feet above sea level, home to some of the world's most important telescopes. I took the above picture from Mauna Kea's summit. See that guy's jacket?