美国有线新闻 CNN 夏威夷群岛迎降雪 美国半数人不过情人节（在线收听）

CARL AZUZ: Well, Kona is a part of Hawaii's big island a Kona Low is a weather event that often brings cooler weather to the islands. Rain and gusty winds are also part of a Kona Low and the island state was recently hit with a big one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Check this out.

CARL AZUZ: What he wants you to check out is exactly what it looks like — snow at Poli Poli State Park on the island of Maui. Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources says this might be the first time ever that snow has fallen in a Hawaii state park. It's common at the tops of the state's volcanoes but not at all common at elevations as low as 6,200 feet. But there's a lot more to this Kona Low. As it approached the islands last weekend, the mayor of Hawaii county tweeted that every beach park and every state park would be closed. And as the system moved away from the state earlier this week, it left behind broken trees, power lines and traffic lights. At one point, tens of thousands of Hawaiians were without electricity.

At the summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on the big island, wind gusts of 191 miles per hour were recorded. That's the same wind speed of a very powerful hurricane. As you might expect, the system brought some high and dangerous surf. In northwest Maui, Hawaii News Now says a man from California was killed after he got stuck in rough ocean conditions. Some waves near the islands measured 60 feet, and there was coastal flooding on Oahu's north shore. The National Weather Service expected more cool, rainy weather on Thursday.

That also happens to be St. Valentine's Day — a holiday probably named for a Christian religious leader who lived in the third century. Though its history has been debated, one thing that isn't is that Americans spend money on the holiday. In fact, an annual survey released by the National Retail Federation — a U.S. trade association — indicates that Americans plan to spend more than $20 billion this year. That works out to about $162 for every person who plans to celebrate. And that's despite the fact that the survey says fewer Americans are celebrating the holiday.

It's down to 51 percent this year from a high of 63 percent 12 years ago. The NRF doesn't know why fewer people are celebrating, but for those who do, greeting cards are a big seller. They account for more than $900 million of spending. That tradition dates back decades.