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Ask the Big Kahuna

"Answering the most common visitor questions"


Question:

Please advise which months of the year generally receive the most rainfall. I will be traveling with a sun worshipper and we would like to book for the best possible time. I know weather in Hawai'i is always beautiful, but I believe there is also a rainy season.

Thanks for your assistance.

Danielle


Response:

Dear Danielle,

Recently, the Kahuna received three other letters similar in import to yours. Unfortunately, the answer isn't simple.

Generally, the winter months of November, December, and January tend to see the most precipitation, but other factors strongly mitigate that easy of an answer.

Where you are on an island will probably be more indicative of rainfall than when you are there. Some areas have less than 10 inches a year, some many times that in a month! The windward (east coast) side of the island will get more rain than the leeward (west coast) side, the northeast more than southwest. Beaches typically get light passing showers; moutains heavier rainfall.

Year-to-year variations can be great, as well. For example, take a look at the rainfall in inches for January in Lihu'e, Kaua'i, for the decade of 1990-1999: 9.75; 0.68; 1.13; 0.75; 3.99; 0.89; 5.14; 5.56; 4.41; 2.27. Not real predictable, eh?

The good news is that each island is like a miniature continent with several micro-climates. On any given day, somewhere on the island the weather is almost guaranteed to be sunny and dry, and a nice beach awaits you and your sun worshipper. Check the weather each night and plan the next day's beach!

Don't forget the sunscreen.

Aloha,



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