Winter weather variance in Maui.?

Question

Just came back from first trip to Maui and now want to make it a regular destination to break up our Oregon winters.

December through February, does any particular month have better weather overall?

Answer 1

December-February weather is pretty much all the same on Maui, provided you stay along the coast or near the valley. It does get cooler as you go upcountry into Haleakala, and it does occasionally snow at the Haleakala Summit, but only above elevation 9,000 ft and above (It snowed a little bit in Feb 2006, but not this year).

December-February are actually very good months to visit. It is not too hot and the humpback whales season is in its peak, although it does rain more in the winter. However, our experience is that March is the rainiest month, so you should be OK.

Good luck and enjoy the island.

Answer 2

The climate of Hawaiʻi is typical for a tropical area, and is regarded as more subtropical than the latitude would suggest, because of the moderating effect of the surrounding ocean. Temperatures and humidity tend to be less extreme, with summer high temperatures seldom reaching above the upper 80s °F, (27 °C) and winter temperatures (at low elevation) seldom dipping below the mid-60s (16 °C). Snow, although not usually associated with tropics, falls at high elevations on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island in some winter months. Snow only rarely falls on Maui's Haleakala. Mount Waialeale (Waiʻaleʻale), on the island of Kauai, is notable for rainfall, as it has the second highest average annual rainfall on Earth, about 460 inches (38 ft. 4 in., or 11.7 m). (wikipedia).

Local climates vary considerably on each island, grossly divisible into windward (Koʻolau) and leeward (Kona) areas based upon location relative to the higher mountains. Windward sides face the Northeast Trades and receive much more rainfall; leeward sides are drier, with less rain and less cloud cover. This fact is utilized by the tourist industry, which concentrates resorts on sunny leeward coasts.

Hurricanes are a rare occurrence in Hawaiʻi, although it is probable that all the islands of Hawaiʻi have been hit by a hurricane in the past. Until the 1950s' advent of satellites, many of the tropical cyclones which hit Hawaiʻi were thought to be Konas, as the Kona and hurricanes seasons overlap. The worst hurricane to hit Hawaiʻi was Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which showed that Hawaiʻi was indeed vulnerable to a direct hit from a hurricane.

Answer 3

The months you mentioned are right in the middle of our "winter rainy" season. So.....the weather on Maui will be wetter than in the spring but not bad at all.

Weather in Hawaii is determined by our trade winds so weather can change on a moments notice. However, the weather in general is mild compared to your Oregon winters.

As far as which month is better than the others, there is no real difference in the weather patterns but there may be a difference in air fare and hotel costs (avoid major holidays for cheaper rates).