Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MAUI SNOW
Although on the rarest of winter mornings it's possible to snorkel in Kihei beneath
a snowcapped Haleakala Crater, it's more often the case that you'll wake up in
Ma'alaea or North Kihei to find your car blanketed in a thin dusting of “Maui
snow.” The difference: Maui snow is black, dirty, and can fall during any sort of
temperature.
Maui snow is the black ash that can blanket the ground after a sugarcane field
has been burned. When sugarcane is ready to be harvested, mass fires are lit in the
middle of the night, and if there is any breeze, all of the communities downwind of
the blaze will wake up to find black ash has covered their cars, patios, and anything
left outdoors. Such cane blizzards are more of a nuisance than anything dangerous
(although anyone with asthma might be affected by the cane smoke in the air).
When it comes to beach weather, even though South Maui is dry, other elements such as
the wind and clouds can greatly affect the comfort level. As a general rule, the closer you
are to Ma'alaea, the earlier in the day it gets windy—particularly in the summer. Since
the afternoon trade winds begin their march in Ma'alaea, they progressively move from
north to south through Kihei, Wailea, and ultimately Makena. During trade wind weath-
er patterns, a thick cloud known locally as “the Makena cloud” forms over Haleakala and
extends out toward the island of Kaho'olawe; although this doesn't normally happen until
the early afternoon. So the morning hours are the best time to hit the beach. In the after-
noon, the pocket of beaches in south Kihei and Wailea have the best chance of being sunny
and calm. Winter months aren't as windy; this is also when humpback whales can be seen
leaping offshore. Is it any wonder so many snowbirds choose to spend the winter here?
Sugar Beach
If your picture-perfect vision of Hawai'i is enjoying a long, lonely stroll down an isolated
beach, then
Sugar Beach
is going to be your favorite spot on the island. Bordered on one
