What Kauai Weather Is Really Like
Is it going to drizzle, downpour, or flood? The summers on Kauai are like eternal spring anywhere else, and the winters refuse to acknowledge winter exists. Here's what else is going on around Kauai that will impact the time you spend outside.
Matt, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Matt was born and raised on Oahu and currently makes the North Shore playground his home. He has lived in four states, half a dozen countries, and more houses across Oahu than he can remember. Each move requires relocating something like 40 surf, foil, and paddle boards and the sobering realization that they all have to fit somewhere. He is an adventure journalist, backcountry snowboarder, rock climber, mountain biker, and relentless swell tracker who loves scouting out obscure waves in far-flung corners of the world. Favorite constants include swell checks, tide charts, and vegan sushi at Tane. At Snappy Scout, Matt edits Hawaii guides with saltwater honesty and local precision.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What's the Weather Really Like in Kauai?
The forecast, the fashion, and the fine print locals wish someone had told them sooner.
Summer temps be like
Perpetually pleasant poolside vibes (mid-80s).
Winter lows are
What Mainlanders call perfect summer (low 60s).
The humidity makes me
Feel like I live inside a terrarium.
Unique weather patterns
Trade winds keep things breezy year-round; Mount Waialeale is literally one of the wettest spots on Earth, and microclimates mean you can drive from downpour to sunshine in under 10 minutes.
Local weather fashion tip
Ditch the umbrella and embrace the rain jacket. Locals just get wet and dry off later.
You know it's time to get out of town when
Hurricane creep dangerously near between June and November, or you've seen the same rainbow for the 47th time this month.
Bugs be like
Mosquitos think you are an all-you-can-eat buffet, especially after rain storms. Oversized centipedes occasionally crash the party.
You're stuck indoors again today because
Trick question. You're never stuck indoors. It's raining on the north shore? Drive south. Too sunny? Find shade under a coconut tree.
Green thumb enthusiasts love
The fact that literally everything grows here—like it's on steroids. Stick a branch in the ground and it'll sprout a tree by next Tuesday.
My Favorite Season in Kauai
Winter is my favorite time of year on all of the Hawaiian islands, and particularly on Kauai. The weather is a tiny bit cooler, the waves are more consistent, and it just feels mellower and quieter (even though there isn't actually a low season when it comes to tourists in Hawaii).
— Matt Rott
Hawaii Local Expert
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