Hawaii Vacations: Rain or Shine!

I heard somewhere that the native people of Alaska (or somewhere cold and frosty) have many words for snow. Similarly, there should be a handful of names for the rain in Hawaii. I was expecting big rain — you know, the torrential, tropical storm from TV and movies. There were a couple of times this past winter where the palm trees seemed to be playing limbo — how low can you go? It was high wind, driving rain and frantic swishing of palm leaves. But, seriously, that was maybe twice. For much of the year, rain is far more varied and subtle.

Often, rain comes in a sudden downburst, especially on what is called the "windward" side of Oahu. Out of nowhere, rain pelts down rapidly and then stops just as quickly. Sometimes I get off the bus in Kailua (windward Oahu) and see puddles of standing water where a "storm" has just passed, but I walk home bone dry. Other times, the surprise is on me — literally. There is rarely a warning from thunder or lightening, the sky just starts leaking suddenly. The change can be almost instantaneous. I remember walking under a covered walkway on campus. I walked under the building and not more than 20 paces later, I emerged into rain.

The third type of rain is a gentle mist. It doesn’t really seem to be falling at all; it’s just that the air gets moist. One woman on a tour bus said, "I thought someone was misting plants on a balcony or something, but I looked up and it was just the sky." This type of mist is common in the valleys of Oahu — up from the beach. It’s one reason rainbows are common. As a (male) schoolmate said, "On the mainland, rain was cold. Here, you just take off your shirt." That is less true for women, of course, but the point is well taken. Even in ‘winter" the rain is rarely really cold. It may be slightly chilly and damp enough to be uncomfortable. That’s about it.

Just as the weather varies within walking distance on any one island, it is also somewhat different from island to island. A friend who once worked in Hilo assures me the rain there doesn’t play peek-a-boo the way it does in Manoa. I’ll visit someday to confirm that.

The unpredictability of rain has two interesting results. First, rain is not really a hindrance to most plans. Just go ahead and enjoy the cool break. Second, it explains why students at UH carry their umbrellas in the outside pocket of backpacks originally designed for water bottles. When you need an umbrella in Hawaii, you need one quickly!

Posted by Cindy Scheopner  

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Published by Bruce Fisher

Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.

Entry Filed under: Customs, Practices and Pastimes,Fun Stuff,Oahu

September 19th, 2009