Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MICROCLIMATES
The weather in Maui can be confusing. Often it can be raining at your hotel but
sunny two miles down the road, and the wind can be blowing 30 knots at one beach
but completely still at another.
Why is that? While on the mainland frontal storm systems can stretch for thou-
sands of miles, weather on Maui is regulated by microclimates. Since the trade
winds blow from a northeasterly direction, towns on the northern or eastern coast-
lines lie on the windward side of the island and are prone to more wind and rain.
Meanwhile, towns on the southern and western shorelines are tucked in the lee of
the steep mountains and are consequently drier and calmer. This explains why parts
of the island such as Kapalua, Napili, and Hana are wetter and drier than areas such
as Lahaina or Kihei. Conversely, during the hot summer months when Lahaina can
swelter in 90° heat, the northern areas of Napili and Kapalua can be 10 degrees cool-
er and blessed with a cooling breeze.
Many visitors only check the weather forecast for their upcoming vacation, on
a site such as
www.weather.com
, which only displays the forecast for the Kahului
Airport on the windier and wetter windward side of Maui. Consequently the forecast
will almost always call for showers. Don't be discouraged! Chances are resort areas
such as Wailea, Kihei, Lahaina, or Ka'anapali will be experiencing a completely
different-often sunnier-forecast than what's being displayed. For a more accur-
ate weather forecast, see local weather sites such as
www.mauiweathertoday.com
,
which breaks down the island's forecasts by various regions.
Although microclimates control the majority of Maui's weather, they don't dic-
tate the weather 100 percent of the time. October-April Maui can be affected by
large cold fronts in the same way that areas on the mainland are. If a large cold front
in the North Pacific (the same storm systems which will eventually drop snow and
rain on the West Coast of the US) decides to swing south, this front can move across
the chain and bring heavy rain to every part of the island. While these fronts often
dissipate over Kaua'i and O'ahu before reaching Maui (and thereby make Kaua'i
and O'ahu wetter than Maui), occasionally the front will envelop the entire state and
bring up to a week of rain.
For locals, this is what's known as “winter.” The island might not get snow (well,
Haleakala might), but Maui is still prone to winter storms which can bring a lot of
rain. No one wants to have a week of rain on their vacation. In the same way that a
“normal” winter day in your hometown might include sun or it might include snow,
