Hawaii climate
The climate in Hawaii is tropical . The location in the outer northern tropics in the Pacific Ocean gives the islands constant sunshine all year round. The prevailing northeast trade winds bring the necessary wind breeze so that the climate is pleasant. The temperatures averaged 25-32 degrees Celsius throughout the year during the day. At night, temperatures rarely reach values below 18 degrees Celsius. On average, it rains six to seven days per month during summer (Kau) between May and October. In the winter time (Hooilo) between November and April it rains an average of nine to ten days a month. This period is defined by many as the rainy season. It is rainier in the north and east of the Hawaiian Islands than on the coast in the south and west. The latter are protected by the mountains and are less affected by the trade winds and precipitation. Due to the constant warm temperatures on the volcanic islands, the water temperature is in the Pacific pleasantly warm all year round and invites you to swim or do other water sports every month. This makes the Hawaiian Islands a popular travel destination all year round. The best time to visit Hawaii to determine, is therefore not so easy, because every month perfect conditions exist for a holiday. In the following section, you can find out when the best travel time for various activities is on vacation. This is followed by climate tables and weather data for the islands of Hawaii (Big Island), O’ahu and Kaua’i . Take a look and be prepared for your vacation in the palm paradise of Hawaii!
The best travel time for Hawaii depending on your preferences at a glance
In general, the months of May to October are considered the best time to travel to Hawaii , as there are fewer rainy days here. However, Hawaii is also a good travel destination during the winter time between November and April. It is important to note what you would most like to do on your Hawaii vacation. The Hawaiian Islands are popular with beach vacationers as well as surfers and nature lovers. Palm-covered beaches, fascinating waves, whales that can be observed and amazing nature with species-rich vegetation and active volcanoes await you on your Hawaii vacation. Also, it depends on the holiday times vacationers depend on when the beaches in Hawaii are emptier and trips are cheaper. This also has an impact on which travel time is the best for Hawaii. The following table gives a small overview of the best travel time for Hawaii depending on your preferences.
Best time to visit Hawaii based on activities and preferences
| Best travel time to Hawaii | |
| Beach vacation | April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November |
| surfing | January, February, November, December |
| Watch whales | January, February, March, April |
| hike | April, May, June, November, December |
| Inexpensive travel | Mid-April, May, June, September, October |
| Most popular travel months (high season) | July, August (USA holidays), November, December, January |
Geographical location of the Hawaiian island chain
According to Thedresswizard.com, Hawaii consists of a total of 137 islands and atolls that form a total area of 16,625 square kilometers. However, most of the islands are not inhabited. The eight largest and most important islands of the Hawaii island chain are sorted from west to east Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui and Hawaii. The last is The Big Island and as the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, the most important. The Hawaiian capital Honolulu is located on the island of Oahu.
Hawaii is located in the Pacific Ocean , 3,682 kilometers southwest of the US west coast. The island chain has been the 50th state in the United States of America since 1959. However, Hawaii is not geographically assigned to America, but to the islands of Oceania , as it is part of Polynesia. On the Google Maps map you have an insight into the geographic location of Hawaii.
The weather in the summer and winter time in Hawaii
The weather in Hawaii is warm all year round with moderate rainfall. The trade winds provide a refreshing breeze, so that the blazing sun is very bearable even during the summer . During the winter time and especially on the north and east coasts of the Hawaiian Islands it rains more and it is windier. You are almost spared the rain in the north and west of the islands. In general, however, the rain showers are not long-lasting. They set in around noon and stop after a few hours so that the sun comes out again. In addition, even during winter there are an average of only nine rainy days per month and summer temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius. That is why the winter months from November to January are particularly popular with Europeans for a vacation in Hawaii. The average daytime temperature in summer is 29 degrees Celsius and in winter 26 degrees Celsius. At night, temperatures average 23 degrees Celsius in summer and 22 degrees Celsius in winter. Despite the frequent rain showers in winter , it is summery warm in Hawaii during these months too, so great trips are possible . If strong trade winds occur, tropical storms can occur in Hawaii. Hurricanes are rare, but heavy rains occur particularly on the north coast of the Hawaiian Islands, which sometimes lead to flooding. Find out below what the climate values for the most popular Hawaiian islands are and when is the best time to travel.
Climate table for the main island of Hawaii
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 27 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 19 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
| Rainy days per month | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Climate table for the island of O’ahu (Honolulu)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 27 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 19 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 24 |
| Rainy days per month | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Climate table for the island of Kaua’i
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 27 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 28 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 18 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 |
| Rainy days per month | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Conclusion
The island state of Hawaii is a year-round travel destination for people from all over the world. As the best travel months , the months May to October stand out in the summer time, as it rains less here. However, the months of July and August are also the main travel time for Hawaii, as the USA is on summer vacation. The beaches are full and the trips are more expensive. Popular travel months for Europeans who want to escape the frosty winter in this country are the winter months of November, December and January. Especially during the Christmas holidays, prices for hotels and flights to Hawaii skyrocket. So if you want to fly to the island nation cheaply , the months from mid-April to June as well as September and October are best for this. The weather in Hawaii is perfect for a vacation all year round anyway!
