Weather Overview for Honolulu

Honolulu, Hawaii is located on the tropical island of Oahu, in the Pacific Ocean and benefits from a warm, humid all year-round climate; with pleasing breezes and sunny, tropical weather.

Located on the coast, Honolulu has only two long seasons; summer; between May and October and winter; between November and April. Honolulu's weather displays the least seasonal alteration of any city in the United States. The average temperature for the duration of the winter climate varies only to a small extent from the summer, making Honolulu the ideal holiday destination.

Although Honolulu is located in the tropical zone, its climate is comfortable because of the ocean currents that pass its shores and the trade winds that blow across the land from the southeast. The annual average climate hovers around 24°C. Honolulu’s climate is ideal for many outdoor activities.

Honolulu experiences very little climatic variations; the occasional winter storm however will pass because of the year round trade winds. The average daily maximum temperature in Honolulu is 29°C and the minimum is 21°C. Although it rarely rains for a full day, there are times when week-long stretches of grey skies and rain occur. In late summer,” Kona” weather; hot and sultry conditions from the south, can make the rain a blessing. Even though Hurricane season is from June until November, it is very uncommon for hurricanes to strike much of the region of Hawaii.

While the city is clearly in the tropics, the climate; being the city’s temperature and humidity is moderated by Hawaii's mid-ocean positioning. According to the Koppen classification, Honolulu actually has a warm semiarid climate. Rainfall is heavily intense in the winter months; however, many winter days trait warm bright sunshine. The average daily low and high temperatures in throughout January and most winter months are 18°C to 27°C and in July are 23°C to31°C. Temperatures exceed 32°C only rarely, with lows in the 15°C occurring perhaps once or twice in a year. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Honolulu was 35°C in September, 1994 and the coldest temperature ever recorded was 11.5°C which has actually occurred many times throughout the past decade. Waters off the coast of Honolulu average at 28°C in the summer months and 25°C in the winter months, making the waters suitable for swimming all-year round.

The best months to visit Honolulu are from May through July and October through November. Overall the wintertime features the most rain still staying relatively mild while the summer month temperatures peak in August and September.