Hawaii Weather and Climate

Geographical location

According to abbreviationfinder, the Hawaii island chain is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, five hours by plane from the Californian metropolis of Los Angeles. The so-called Aloha State is 3,682 kilometers from the mainland and is known worldwide as a paradise for vacationers and surfers due to its climate and beaches.

The most famous islands are the main island of Hawaii (Big Island) and its neighboring islands of O’ahu and Maui. The 50th state of the USA is a fascinating mixture of Polynesian cultural influences, North American modernity and East Asian bustle.

Geographically, Hawaii’s 135 islands belong to Oceania and not to the American continent. Not all island (che) n are actually inhabited, the largest inhabited islands include not only those already mentioned, but also lesser known exotic species such as Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, Moloka’i and Lāna’i.

Overall, the 137 islands and atolls come to a land area of ​​16,625 square kilometers, on which about 1.4 million people live. The highest point of the islands is the Mauna Kea volcano at about 4205 meters. The journey from Frankfurt takes around 19 hours with a stopover in San Francisco.

Hawaii climate

The Hawaiian Islands have a fairly constant tropical and warm climate. The temperatures are all year round between 26 and 31 ° C and therefore fluctuate very little. The months of August and September reach a peak of 31 degrees in Honolulu and have very little rainfall. Even at night the temperatures drop only insignificantly.

The water temperature of the Pacific Ocean around Hawaii reaches up to 27 degrees in the summer months. The high-altitude volcanic areas Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa can get 10 ° C cold in winter, in fact the mountain peaks can even be covered with snow in winter. However, many vacation spots such as Waikiki on O’ahu rarely reach temperatures below 20 degrees even at night, even in winter.

Typically for tropical areas there is usually a very high level of humidity and extreme heat. Due to the gentle trade winds, these unpleasant aspects usually do not occur in Hawaii and a very pleasant climate is predominant. In the winter months from November to March, precipitation increases on all islands, with the heaviest rainfall pouring out on the slopes of the mountain regions.

When to go to Hawaii

The climate offers very pleasant travel conditions all year round, which is why Hawaii can be described as a year-round destination with only minor restrictions. There is no pronounced rainy season; rather, there can be short showers, especially in the afternoons, at any time of the year. Statistically speaking, the driest months are from May to October.

Accordingly, we recommend exactly this period as the best travel time for Hawaii, as the weather conditions are now particularly good and pleasant. July and August are classic high season months due to the school holidays, especially childless couples should avoid this period if possible. From November onwards, not only does the precipitation increase slowly, but also thousands upon thousands of “winter refugees” pour into the islands from the USA, Canada and especially Asia.

Therefore, especially between Christmas and Easter, many hotels are fully booked and the beaches are quite full. If that doesn’t bother you, you will also find good conditions for a relaxing holiday at this travel time. With island hopping you can combine the most beautiful regions of Hawaii and integrate varied activities and numerous excursions into your travel program.

Optimal travel time for the regions

In the following overview you can see the best travel time depending on the region (Hawaii).

Place	Best travel time
Honolulu	all except January, February, March and December
Kahului	May, June, July, August, September and October

Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Honolulu (Hawaii)

	Jan	Feb	March	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Daytime temperature	27 ° C	27 ° C	27 ° C	28 ° C	29 ° C	30 ° C	31 ° C	31 ° C	31 ° C	30 ° C	29 ° C	27 ° C
Night temperature	19 ° C	19 ° C	20 ° C	20 ° C	21 ° C	22 ° C	23 ° C	23 ° C	23 ° C	22 ° C	21 ° C	19 ° C
Water temperature	24 ° C	24 ° C	24 ° C	25 ° C	26 ° C	26 ° C	27 ° C	27 ° C	27 ° C	27 ° C	26 ° C	25 ° C
Precipitation in mm	96	69	88	38	31	12	14	15	16	48	82	87
Rainy days	7	5	7	6	3	2	3	2	3	5	6	7
Hours of sunshine	7	7	8	8	9	9	10	10	9	8	7	6
Sunrise	7:10	7:00	6:40	6:15	5:55	5:50	5:55	6:10	6:20	6:25	6:40	7:00
Sunset	18:10	18:30	18:40	18:50	19:00	19:15	19:15	19:05	18:35	18:05	17:50	17:50

Temperatures

The annual average temperature in Honolulu is 25 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is August (27.2 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 22.6 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Honolulu is 27 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.

Precipitation

The annual precipitation is 596 mm on 56 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. You cannot expect snow in any month in Honolulu.

Sunshine

As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 9.6 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year the sun shines for 8.2 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.

Highlights and attractions

Hawaii offers a large number of scenic highlights. In Haleakala National Park you can climb the crater of the volcano of the same name and enjoy a wonderful sunrise. The efforts early in the morning are rewarded with unforgettable impressions and incredible photo motifs.
You can get a nice impression of the Polynesian cultural influence at the Polynesian Culture Center with seven recreated villages.

On the island of Maui, you shouldn’t miss Ka’anapali Beach as a dream beach and wonderful hot spot for snorkeling. The famous “Road to Hana” on Maui is also a real highlight. The highway on the coast is one of the most beautiful car routes on earth and is great to travel by rental car.

Other attractions include the Kalalau Trail in Kauai, Wai’anapanapa State Park, and Na Pali Coast State Park. Hawaii was strongly influenced by World War II. For example, the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor in the capital Honolulu is a very impressive sight with a moving history.