Between 2010 and 2013 the lake shrank significantly, and by September 2013 the lake was reduced to a mere puddle with less than 2% of its original surface size. The exact causes for the water loss are unknown. The suspects are drought conditions and the thawing of an assumed permafrost layer under the lake leading to increased seepage. However, after the particularly wet winter of 2013/2014, the lake was back to around 75% of its original size by May 2014, and subsequently returned to its normal size. Therefore, it is currently assumed that the primary reason for the water loss were the drought conditions on Mauna Kea from 2010 to 2013.