Maui Weather

Maui weather patterns change dramatically depending where you are on the island due to a large number of microclimates. Within a few miles, the average rainfall on Maui can change by several inches very quickly. Let's take a closer look at what areas of Maui are the driest and wettest, as this will help you decide where to stay during your vacation or trip. For more information about when to visit the island, be sure to check out our When to visit Maui article.

"Great weather" is often defined as sunny and warm - and if so, Maui is definitely a place for 'great weather.' The majority of the accommodations on Maui are in very dry and sunny locations. Other locations, especially along the northeast coastline, are very wet and lush. Depending on your personal preferences, one location should be easy to select over another.

First we should point out that even in the wettest locations on Maui, rain is hit and miss. One minute it may be raining, and the next the sun is back out - usually with a beautiful rainbow to boot. It's hard to say the wet areas are less desirable than the drier ones because, in our personal opinion, the lushness is something we WANT to be around. So we tend to select wetter locations on purpose. Other visitors however might want nothing but sun and dry weather.

The wettest periods on Maui are almost always in the winter time when the tradewinds bring additional moisture to the islands. This period runs from mid-November through late March on average, and some of these systems can carry quite a bit of rain. This isn't to say Maui isn't nice during the winter months, it is, but it's also going to mean the likelihood of wetter weather along portions of the island like the Hana Highway or Iao Valley State Park. The benefit of the extra rain however is that the waterfalls along the Hana Highway will really be flowing strong, which isn't always the case in the summer months. Another major benefit of visiting during the winter is the chance to see the amazing humpback whales off the coast; that's something you also won't see from May - October.

So where are the areas with the driest weather and most sunshine year round? Using the map below will help you visualize which areas are driest. Here's our list, driest to wettest.

1.) On the south shore, Kihei, Wailea and Makena are very dry areas averaging just a few meager inches of rain a year. On the southwest coastline, Lahaina is also fairly dry year-round. In the center of the island, Kahului is also very dry. Accommodations are abundant in these areas.

2.) Moving north from Lahaina, Ka`anapali is your next best bet, receiving slightly more than the areas south of town. Naturally then, the further north you go from Ka`anapali towards Kapalua, the more rain you'll experience (though still it's a very small amount). Again, accommodations are abundant here as well.

3.) Most locations Upcountry (around Kula) receive 30-40" a year. If you plan to spend a lot of time in Haleakala National Park, this is a good area to look for accommodations in (though your options are somewhat limited)

4.) Moving up to the windward (northeast) coastline, you'll begin to experience more rain the further east and mauka (inland) you go. Paia for example receives about 40-60" a year, whereas towns just to the east of Paia may receive up to 160" a year, a fairly impressive jump in such a short geographic area. Your accommodations in these areas are often limited to small Inn's and B&B's. This is actually our preferential area to stay in because of it's proximity to the Hana Highway and Upcountry Maui. Plus we like the lush scenery.

5.) If you're planning to stay in or around Hana for a night or two while exploring the Hana Highway, then rain is fairly likely, especially at night. Hana town itself isn't that wet (80" annually), but the areas surrounding it can be, especially near the `Ohe`o Gulch.

Hopefully you now have a good idea of what the weather is like on Maui, and which areas offer you the best weather for your liking. It's really hard to select a bad area on Maui, but hopefully you can now make the best choice for you and your travel party. Our Where to stay on Maui article may also prove useful.

More information about Hawaii weather can be found within our Hawaii Weather and Climate Patterns article.