Dec 31, 2015 for simplicity, this chart only shows the four major islands. This season is from late summer through mid spring. Winter rainy season and summer dry season the hawaiian islands have two main seasons. The big island is bigger than all the other hawaiian islands combined. The kohala coast is probably one of the best bets for places to stay to avoid rain in. Visitors will find more variation in temperature due to altitude rather than season. First, its important to note if its 10 days before your trip to hawaii and youre looking at the weather reports and they show rain all week for the time youre going to be in hawaii dont get upset. Many times, weve referenced s excellent database of. The summer months can be hot and humid, especially in honolulu and waikiki. Traveling during the rainy season of your destination can add a level of complication that is often over shadowed by the beauty and unique experiences.
Best time to visit hawaii updated for 2020 santorini dave. The hot and rainy season runs from november to april, with maximum rains in the months of december and january. In recent years, however, even the rainy season has been very dry. Mar 26, 2019 kahala beach kahala resort is the one and only option. Hawaii weather and climate patterns hawaii travel guide. Depending on where you are, the weather can act in a multitude of ways.
Theres a dry season that corresponds to summer aproct and a rainy season in winter novmar. Hawaiis rainy season seems to coincide with winter. The merrie monarch festival in hilo is a popular weeklong hawaiian cultural festival that happens in april, and the honolulu marathon draws crowds to waikiki in december. However, climate change may affect the highpressure zone, and some scientists fear hawaii may see more hurricanes in coming years. The best thing about hawaiis weather is that it is very localized. It has a population of 120,000 making it the third most populated island behind oahu and the big island hawaii. In a lot of nontropical climates, the winter season coincides with the rainy season in tropical climates. Each place has a total for the amount of precipitation it usually receives in a year. While the inclination is to visit hawaii in the winter to escape the winter weather on the mainland, its actually not the time to find either the best weather or the best bargains. Big island and maui tend to have the best snorkeling because their snorkel. The rainy season in virgin islands doesnt have an exact date, but it usually starts in may and ends in december. It rains every day somewhere in the islands any time of the year, but the rainy season sometimes brings enough gray weather to spoil your. Temperatures in hawaii are usually in the 70s and 80s during the daytime, all year around. If you are planning on traveling to hawaii and are concerned your vacation might get waylaid by a bit of precipitation, there are a a few things you can do.
Koolina disney aulani, four seasons as well as a marriott residences timeshare. We are hoping to come to hawaii the end of next month february and are wondering what to expect weatherwise. Weve rarely had a weather problem, but we stay south on any island. The island of maui is made up of numerous different subclimates. As regards to the rainfall, there is a relatively dry season from january to april and a rainy season from may to december, during which theres a relative decrease in precipitation in june and july. The weather is pleasant yearround with average highs that hover in the 80s, but these islands do experience a rainy season, and the threat of hurricanes lingers from june to november. Northern kauai, oahu and evenparts of maui are affected by rain and wind in winter. Best and worst months to visit british virgin islands. Most sites also have information on the number of days with wet weather.
During the winter months it can really pour especially from december to march. The best time of year to go to kauai kauai vacation secrets. The average daytime summer temperature at sea level is 85 f 29. Best time to visit hawaii planning a hawaii vacation. From mid october there is a change in the weather, november is on average the wettest and most uncomfortable month in terms of weather records. It rains every day somewhere in the islands at any time of. The climate of these islands of french polynesia is very similar to that of the society islands, although less rainy due to the absence of the reliefs. If you want to avoid the rain as much as possible, then the best time to go is during the summer months. I am travelling in january and going on a cruise around the islands. Hawaii is no different rainy season is typically november to march. Hawaii weather guide with maui, oahu, big island and kauai. Thus, the high season when prices are up and resorts are often booked to capacityis generally from middecember to march or midapril. Weather in the hawaiian islands is very consistent, with only minor changes in temperature throughout the year. It rains every day somewhere on every island regardless of the time of year, and it is more like a sprinkle than a downpour.
I wanted to go during whale season which carries with it an increased chance of rain. Knowing hawaiis seasons traveling during winter, spring. The most recent hurricane to hit any of the major islands of hawaii was hurricane iniki see video below, which hit the island of kauai september of 1992, right in the middle of hawaii hurricane season. Dec 09, 2019 at beat of hawaiis headquarters here in upcountry kauai, we can get as much as 100 inches of rain annually. The tables below give yearly averages for rainfall at cities, towns, resorts, parks and beaches in hawaii. During the rainy season, from december to march, the cook islands can sometimes be hit by tropical cyclones and hurricanes.
Hawaii lies just below the tropic of cancer, and its mild tropical climate is considered by many people to be the worlds ideal. Big island the kohala coast is super sunny year round where it only receives around 10 inches of rain each year. Thanks to persistent trade winds and vacillating temperatures across mountainous terrain, the hawaiian archipelago possesses some of earths most diverse rainfall patterns. The annual average rainfall is around 2,100 mm, the rainiest months are between december and april, the least rainy months are between june and october. At more than 4,000 square miles, the nickname for the one island actually named hawaii is apropos. Best time to visit gili islands climate chart and table. May 14, 2020 santorini dave the hotel expert february 28, 2019 at 12. Climate and average monthly weather in honolulu hawaii, hawaii.
It is the second largest hawaiian island with an area of 727 square miles. Those sprinkles shouldnt spoil your vacation fun because they usually dont last long and theyre often localized, meaning even if its raining where you are, there likely will be clear skies. The ocean is warm, theres plenty of sunshine to go around, crowds are minimal and low season prices are in effect. Though the word monsoon conjures up images of intense downpours, the term actually refers to a seasonal wind pattern that pulls moisture from the indian ocean to the asian. Kauai, oahu, molokai, lanai, maui, and the island of hawaii. For simplicity, this chart only shows the four major islands. The general rainfall trend by month also applies to lanai and molokai. But the rainy season is also noticeable on gili air, gili meno and gili trawangan. During those months you can expect statewide rainfall that is unavoidable, and which can typically last for one or two weeks, day and night.
Kahala beach kahala resort is the one and only option. Worst time to visit hawaii get public health updates. We invite you to explore the islands of aloha to find your own heavenly hawaii experiences. Climate united states virgin islands climates to travel. Chloe limflickr wait ten minutes because when its not hurricane season, you can bet that the rain will let up pretty quickly, a rainbow will appear, and you can get back to whatever outdoor activity you had previously planned.
Weather on the big island, explained hawaii climate guide. Wintertime is the rainy season in hawaii, so if youre coming in january, it will be rainy. Traveling to hawaii is usually priciest during peak season, so if youre looking to save, wait until the offpeak or shoulder seasons. Because hawaii lies at the edge of the tropical zone, it technically has only two seasons, both of them warm. What to do on rainy days in hawaii hawaiian planner. The big island has 10 of the 15 types of the worlds climate. The second thing you should know about kauai is that its very rainy. Jun 21, 2007 while the inclination is to visit hawaii in the winter to escape the winter weather on the mainland, its actually not the time to find either the best weather or the best bargains. The official rainy season starts in november, but showers tend to happen late in the evening and dont interfere with outdoor plans. It rains every day somewhere in the islands at any time of the year, but the rainy season can bring enough gray weather to spoil.
With the arrival of spring, the busy winter tourism season ends after easter, too. In some of the rainiest areas of the world, the rainy season can be described as monsoon season. Air temperature of this season is slowly grows from 73 f 23 c at march to 75 f 25 c at may. But, thats not necessarily a bad thing ill explain that in a moment. The eight islands of hawaii six of which you can visit are oahu. Below weve listed the weather that each part of the island typically holds. These visitors are also known on the islands as snowbirds. The first part falls during the summer holidays lots of family travel and falls roughly between midjune and the end of august. Hawaii has a highpressure zone located to its northeast that helps keep water temperatures mostly stable yearround. Is hawaiis rainy season similar to floridas rainy season. The merrie monarch festival in hilo is a popular weeklong hawaiian cultural festival that happens in april, and the honolulu marathon draws. Each place has a total for the amount of precipitation it usually receives this month.
The official rainy season is in the winter from november to march. The biggest variables are rain and surf conditions. But in the islands, wet weather doesnt signify a monotonous sogfest. Take note, however, that with each season there are various special events around the islands that make it more difficult to find accommodations. Although hawaiis rainy season is november through march, showers can fall anytime, mostly on the windward northeastern side of the islands. Hawaiis rainy season ends, with more sunshine on the rainy leeward side of the islands. Hawaii rainfall chart by month and island go visit hawaii. December by december the humpback whales have arrived in hawaii.
My personal experinece has been that the rainy season means absolutely nothing. The big island line for hawaii island is based on rainfall levels at the kona airport. Evenings are generally cool and mild year round on the big island. Monsoon months its no secret that hawaii is a magical place. Each has its own distinct personality, adventures, activities and sights. The tables below give monthly averages for rainfall during march at cities, towns, resorts, parks and beaches in hawaii. Rainfall hovers around 1,0001,200 millimeters 4047 inches per year and is generally slightly more abundant on the northern slopes of each island. This state is famous for its lush, bloodrushing islands, and maui is, without a doubt, one of the finest ones. Weather patterns in the hawaiian islands may also vary a bit depending on the locations of particular mountain ranges and other geographical features. Thailands rainy season coincides with the regions wet monsoon season and often youll hear people refer to the rainy season and monsoon season interchangeably. What is the best time of year to go to honolulu in hawaii. Additionally, it should be noted that rainfall levels on lanai and molokai will most closely match their neighbor island of maui. The rainy season spans from may through october though showers usually only last for a few hours at a time.
Rainy season hurricane season the rainy season for the british virgin islands extends from september through november with an average rainfall of more than five inches a month. Pahoa vacation rentals, hotels, weather, map and attractions. February 20, 2020 if youre like most people visiting the islands for the first time, youre probably picturing lovely sunny days filled with rainbows and days at the beach. Where to stay in hawaii to avoid rain go visit hawaii. That said in general, rainy season is november to march. Most locations also have information on the number of days with wet weather. When we plotted this data, the uptick in rain from february to march was surprising. March is penultimate month of rainy season with average amount of precipitation about 1. Hawaii weather variations are quite unusual by mainland standards. Finally, because the proximity to the ocean and the many mountains volcanoes on the islands, you can expect significant differences in rainfall within short distances and infrequent severe storms. Average rainfall for hawaii in march current results. Maui has not been directly hit by a hurricane in over 100 years, though hurricanes and tropical storms that passed close to maui have caused. Compared to lihue, kauais north shore receives more rain, while the south shore is drier. Overall june is the driest month in hawaii, while december is the wettest month.
However, even the rainy season can be relatively dry when many parts of hawaii suffer drought conditions. My personal experinece has been that the rainy season means absolutely nothing it rains every day somewhere on every island regardless of the time of year, and it is more like a sprinkle than a downpour. The traditional rainy months are november to early december and march. Because hurricanes require an area of low pressure to form, this stable area shields the islands. That includes the days when precipitation amounts to 0. So unless a hurricane is coming and those are rare in hawaii, the weather forecast could show 7 straight days of rain and you may not see a single raindrop. Weather in the hawaiian islands is very consistent, with only minor changes in. Weather reports are notoriously off in the hawaiian islands. The american state of hawaii, which covers the hawaiian islands, is tropical but it experiences many different climates, depending on altitude and surrounding. The windward side seems to get more rain than the leeward side, we are on the leeward side of maui. Winters are dry in kona while the rest of the state deems that as its rainy season the islands a neat mishmash when it comes to weather, when you want a change you can just hop in the car most of the time. Still, october is an excellent month to visit hawaii. Some parts of our islands get a lot more precipitation than other parts. Because of the warm ocean airflow, the west maui mountains get a lot of.
Most visitors come to hawaii when the weather is lousy elsewhere. You can sit on the second floor of the olympic cafe in kapaa to look out on the rainy horizon, day after day, even as you sit under blue skies. But this definitely doesnt mean that you should avoid going to hawaii during this time. In particular, the last 2 weeks of december and first week of january, are prime time for travel to hawaii. With only 70k residents, its a beautiful place for a nice romantic trip. Mount waialeale, the dormant volcano towering in the center of kauai, is the rainiest place on earth. Hawaii has a dry season april to october and a rainy season november to march. The dry season starts in december and lasts all the way up to yep, you guessed it early may.
September begins with cooler nights which then leads to cooler and shorter days. I would say the rainy season in hawaii and florida are very different. Kona is having their rainy season right now, not that were seeing tons of rain, whereas most of the rest of the state is in a drought. Virgin islands is april to june, when you can expect mild weather and very little rainfall. This is the most ancient island in hawaii and the 4th largest in the state. Worst time to visit hawaii get public health updates is.
Its possible, but unusual, for the entire island to be under a storm for long. First, hawaiis rain falls mostly in the winter, which is the cooler time of year so its not as hot as floridas rainy season which happens in summer. Due to the prevailing northeasterly trade winds, some areas of the islands are wetter than others. The best time to visit honolulu is from september to november when temperatures are mild. Yes, whale season in hawaii is spectacular, and if whale watching is a priority then december through march is the best time to visit, though whales can be spotted especially near maui as early as november and as late as april. Kauai has the least reliable snorkeling because it tends to rain more. In the usvis peak season, from december to march, the temperature. Yearly rainfall averages in hawaii current results. Also, i think the gulf coast of florida is a location that has some of the most lightning strikes of anywhere in the world. The best time to go to hawaii for good weather, surfing, sunbathing, things. You may be driving along the island and be in a rain storm one minute and in. Individual islands do have slight variations, however. If you want a winter vacation in hawaii, the beginning of december is the best time to visit.
Weather and seasons in the hawaiian islands hawaii real. January 12, 2008 by beat of hawaii we love to share our local knowledge of the islands and invite you to ask questions. The big island line for hawaii island is based on rainfall levels at the. We love to share our local knowledge of the islands and invite you to ask questions. Hurricane season in hawaii falls between june and november, with almost all activity occurring from july through september. The rainy season in kauai doesnt have a fixed pattern, but it usually starts in october and ends in march. At beat of hawaiis headquarters here in upcountry kauai, we can get as much as 100 inches of rain annually. The garden isle is home to some of the most dramatic scenery in the.
For the most part, each area has a general weather pattern. While almost any time of year except the monsoon season is a great time to. Winter months tend to be rainier, while hurricane season goes from june through november but big storms are rare here. Dec 29, 2019 july and august, while not considered hawaiis busy season, still tend to draw decent crowds and are especially popular with vacationing families. Rainy season winter does not mean that it will be raining everywhere all the time. Luckily, the hawaiian islands themselves rarely experience significant effects from these tropical monsters that are more serious than lots of rain and large surf.