When it comes to booking a vacation in Hawaii, you probably know that you’re going to get a bit of a tan. When you step out your rental house in Hawaii and onto the beach, chances are you’ll need to have some sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses on. However, the weather is not always what you may hope it would be, simply because it can be quite changeable from time to time.
Let’s take a look at what the weather is like throughout the year, and how it can affect your vacation:
Seasons and Temperature
The weather in Hawaii tends to be quite consistent only changing a little through the year. While many people expect there to be the usual four seasons it seems that in Hawaii there are only two: Summer and Winter. Summer lasts from May – October, and winter lasts from November – April.
In the summer the temperature tends to be around 29 Celsius during the day and 19 Celsius at night. In the winter the temperatures can be approximately 25 Celsius during the day, and 15 Celsius at night.
When the Rain Falls
In Hawaii, you will find that the weather patterns are somewhat affected by some of the high-pressure zones that are located in the north Pacific. These weather zones send cool trade winds to the islands north-eastern slopes.
When this occurs the winds are forced upwards by the mountains where all of the moisture in the air’s turned into clouds that bring on the rain. You should not worry about the rain too much if you’re lounging on the beach as most of the rain tends to fall in the valleys and mountains, which give Hawaii its tropical environment.
If you do find yourself in the middle of the rain why not walk to the nearest beach? Rain hardly ever hits the beach, and you’ll be back in the sunshine once more. Bliss.
If you would like to avoid the rain you may want to stay away from Hawaii during November and through ‘til March. However, the rains do not tend to be very disruptive and probably won’t affect you if you plan to stay near the beach. The good news is that if you are caught in the rain it won’t last very long, and those lovely blue skies will appear once more.
In Hawaii those light showers are often known as ‘Blessings’, this is because they leave a rainbow behind them.
Climate Zones
Hawaii is made up of a collection of islands and micro-environments which tend to be quite diverse in terms of the weather, animals, and plants. Because many of the islands are overshadowed by mountains the weather can be quite diverse from one part of an island to another. For example, it’s not uncommon for you to find cool alpine areas and very sunny beaches within a few miles of each other.
So if you do get a little chilly in those alpine areas do not worry, the sunshine will not be very far away!
The Trade Winds
Remember I mentioned the Trade Winds? Well, these winds often bring a nice cool breeze to the islands. At some time during the year, the wind will stop blowing, and it will move ‘round, blowing from the west or south. This is a sign that the weather is about to get a lot warmer and a lot stickier too.
Volcanic Fog
Also known as ‘Vog’, volcanic fog is the hazy pollution that can fill the air and be seen hanging over some of the islands. Vog is caused by a range of gasses including sulphur dioxide come from a crater on Kilauea, and once they are mixed with sunlight and the moisture that’s in the air. If the wind is blowing and the volcano is active the vog can be carried to the remaining islands. If this occurs you will need to stay inside as the vog can be harmful to people and animals as well as plants.
The good news is that not all foggy and hazy conditions are caused by volcanic fog. White mist that is often seen along the coast is likely to be salt spray that’s hanging in the air. If there is a haze around the mountains the haze will be made up of moisture that’s in the air and blown up there by drafts that are found along the mountain’s ridges.
Hurricanes
From time to time a hurricane will pass through Hawaii, but this does happen a lot less than you would think. Florida and many other parts of the US mainland are more susceptible to hurricanes. If you would like to avoid hurricane season altogether, you may want to avoid coming to Hawaii between the months of June and December.
If you are concerned about the weather while you’re in Hawaii please watch local weather reports. Let a member of staff at your resort know about your concerns, they may be able to reassure you. As I mentioned earlier, hurricanes do not tend to occur very often, so relax, and enjoy your vacation.
As you can see, there can be very different climates within just a few miles. This is just one of the great things about Hawaii: you can go on a tropical expedition in the morning, and sun yourself on the beach in the afternoon. Whatever the weather is doing, Hawaii is a wonderful place to be, so get set to enjoy the vacation of a lifetime!
Let’s take a look at what the weather is like throughout the year, and how it can affect your vacation:
Seasons and Temperature
The weather in Hawaii tends to be quite consistent only changing a little through the year. While many people expect there to be the usual four seasons it seems that in Hawaii there are only two: Summer and Winter. Summer lasts from May – October, and winter lasts from November – April.
In the summer the temperature tends to be around 29 Celsius during the day and 19 Celsius at night. In the winter the temperatures can be approximately 25 Celsius during the day, and 15 Celsius at night.
When the Rain Falls
In Hawaii, you will find that the weather patterns are somewhat affected by some of the high-pressure zones that are located in the north Pacific. These weather zones send cool trade winds to the islands north-eastern slopes.
When this occurs the winds are forced upwards by the mountains where all of the moisture in the air’s turned into clouds that bring on the rain. You should not worry about the rain too much if you’re lounging on the beach as most of the rain tends to fall in the valleys and mountains, which give Hawaii its tropical environment.
If you do find yourself in the middle of the rain why not walk to the nearest beach? Rain hardly ever hits the beach, and you’ll be back in the sunshine once more. Bliss.
If you would like to avoid the rain you may want to stay away from Hawaii during November and through ‘til March. However, the rains do not tend to be very disruptive and probably won’t affect you if you plan to stay near the beach. The good news is that if you are caught in the rain it won’t last very long, and those lovely blue skies will appear once more.
In Hawaii those light showers are often known as ‘Blessings’, this is because they leave a rainbow behind them.
Climate Zones
Hawaii is made up of a collection of islands and micro-environments which tend to be quite diverse in terms of the weather, animals, and plants. Because many of the islands are overshadowed by mountains the weather can be quite diverse from one part of an island to another. For example, it’s not uncommon for you to find cool alpine areas and very sunny beaches within a few miles of each other.
So if you do get a little chilly in those alpine areas do not worry, the sunshine will not be very far away!
The Trade Winds
Remember I mentioned the Trade Winds? Well, these winds often bring a nice cool breeze to the islands. At some time during the year, the wind will stop blowing, and it will move ‘round, blowing from the west or south. This is a sign that the weather is about to get a lot warmer and a lot stickier too.
Volcanic Fog
Also known as ‘Vog’, volcanic fog is the hazy pollution that can fill the air and be seen hanging over some of the islands. Vog is caused by a range of gasses including sulphur dioxide come from a crater on Kilauea, and once they are mixed with sunlight and the moisture that’s in the air. If the wind is blowing and the volcano is active the vog can be carried to the remaining islands. If this occurs you will need to stay inside as the vog can be harmful to people and animals as well as plants.
The good news is that not all foggy and hazy conditions are caused by volcanic fog. White mist that is often seen along the coast is likely to be salt spray that’s hanging in the air. If there is a haze around the mountains the haze will be made up of moisture that’s in the air and blown up there by drafts that are found along the mountain’s ridges.
Hurricanes
From time to time a hurricane will pass through Hawaii, but this does happen a lot less than you would think. Florida and many other parts of the US mainland are more susceptible to hurricanes. If you would like to avoid hurricane season altogether, you may want to avoid coming to Hawaii between the months of June and December.
If you are concerned about the weather while you’re in Hawaii please watch local weather reports. Let a member of staff at your resort know about your concerns, they may be able to reassure you. As I mentioned earlier, hurricanes do not tend to occur very often, so relax, and enjoy your vacation.
As you can see, there can be very different climates within just a few miles. This is just one of the great things about Hawaii: you can go on a tropical expedition in the morning, and sun yourself on the beach in the afternoon. Whatever the weather is doing, Hawaii is a wonderful place to be, so get set to enjoy the vacation of a lifetime!
No comments:
Post a Comment