ClimateZone Maps of United States: Hardiness Zone Map. The significance of these statistics is that Hawaii has many climates. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. The Hawaiian Islands claim 10 of the world’s myriad climate zones, the only place on earth with so many concentrated in one small area. As storms cross the Pacific, they tend to lose strength if they bear northward and encounter cooler water. Unlike cold fronts and Kona storms, hurricanes and tropical storms are most likely to occur during the last half of the year, from July through December. We have provided 2 differing Climate zone maps of the US with varying levels of detail. The American state of Hawaii, which covers the Hawaiian Islands, is tropical but it experiences many different climates, depending on altitude and surrounding. September is the hottest month for Pahoa with an average high temperature of 81.4°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Hawaii. On windward coasts, many brief showers are common, not one of which is heavy enough to produce more than 0.01 in (0.25 mm) of rain. How many climate zones does Hawaii have? Climate is the average of weather over time. Due to their influence precipitation falls mostly in northern and eastern sides of islands. [7] Windward slopes have greater rainfall than leeward lowlands and tall mountains.[8]. The USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 separate planting zones; each growing zone is 10°F warmer (or colder) in an average winter than the adjacent zone. Due to Hawaii being at the northern edge of the tropics (mostly above 20 latitude), there are only weak wet and dry seasons unlike many tropical climates. Sunset – December 5, 2009 To view detailed map, click the “Click to Enlarge” button at left. According to the Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification System, the Hawaiian Islands experience 10 of the world’s 14 climate zones: Tropical, continuously wet: A humid tropical climate with monthly temperatures of about 64.4 degrees and a high annual rainfall, and that does not have a distinct dry season. Due to cooler waters around Hawaii, the risk of tropical cyclones is low for Hawai'i. We didn’t expect to see pines growing here. The rarity of hurricanes making landfall on the Islands is subject to change as the climate warms. #Triviatwitter share click to tweet. ( Log Out /  Change ). VIEW BY REGION United States Alaska Great Plains Hawaii Mid-Atlantic Midwest Northeast Rocky Mountains South Southwest West The Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone derives its name from two areas: Hawaii and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. For example, on the Big Island of Hawaii, it is possible to hit the beach and go for a swim and then drive … It is this active interaction between wind, ocean current, and temperature that creates this uniquely long wake west of Hawaii. People were skiing here when we arrived. Local conditions that produce occasional violent winds are not well understood. This is the map of the USDA planting zones for Hawaii. By signing up, you'll get thousands of step-by-step solutions to your homework questions. Hawai‘i's high mountains present a substantial obstacle to the trade winds. Three strong and destructive hurricanes are known to have made landfall on the islands, an unnamed storm in 1871,[9] Hurricane Dot in 1959, and Hurricane Iniki in 1992. The Big Island is over 4,000 square miles in area and rises from sea level to an elevation of 13,803 feet. The texture change around the calmer south-west of the islands is the result of the shelter provided from the islands. Average temperatures and precipitation amounts for more than 28 cities in Hawaii. We experienced them all…, From Hilo Harbor (0 feet) to Mauna Kea (13,803 feet), palm trees to snowcaps. This split causes a zone of weak winds, called a "wind wake", on the leeward side of the islands.[13]. #Hawaii has 8 climate zones (out of 13 worldwide), but is smaller than New Jersey! Four-wheel drive only (or a steep hike). It has perfect conditions for growing Kona coffee. Hawaii's longest and shortest days are about 13 1/2 hours and 11 hours, respectively, compared with 14 1/2 and 10 hours for Southern California and 15 1/2 hours and 8 1/2 hours for Maine. Pleasant Climate Year-Round With its warm and gentle trade winds, mild temperatures and sunny skies, Hawaii is an ideal vacation destination throughout the year. Climate is the average of weather over time. A grassland developing on the lava field. Tropical storms are more frequent. Although the weather is often humid by U.S. mainland standards, temperatures are conditioned by the northeast trade winds, which prevail most of the year and make living on the islands delightfully comfortable. In the Northern Hemisphere, trade winds blow from northeast to southwest, from North and South America toward Asia, between the equator and 30 degrees north latitude. Climates you may encounter in the Hawaiian Islands include the humid tropical zones, from sea level to 450 feet (137 m), the arid and … Effectively it’s a rusted volcano. Climate of the Hawaii islands is formed by trade winds. Because tropical storms resemble Kona storms, and because early records do not distinguish clearly between them, it has been difficult to estimate the average frequency of tropical storms. It is California, and the climate zones are Mediterranean, Marine, Highland, Desert, And Semiarid. The Big Island is home to 11 of the world’s 13 climate zones. Kona rains last from several hours to several days. On days without an inversion, the sky is almost cloudless (completely cloudless skies are extremely rare). By Beth Thoma Robinson, R(B) June 7, 2009; 4 Comments ; Share. Below these heights, the air is moist; above, it is dry. Uniform day lengths result in small seasonal variations in incoming solar radiation and, therefore, temperature. The record low temperature in Honolulu is 52 °F (11 °C) on January 20, 1969. The arid, desert steppe is actually located along the most well-known area of the island, the beaches north of Kona on the west side where visitors stay at high-end resorts. On Maui, the cloudiest zones are at and just below the summits of the mountains, and at elevations of 2,000 to 4,000 ft (600 to 1,200 m) on the windward sides of Haleakala. Mauna Kea. It leads to the volcano, but the trail beyond was closed for safety concerns. These winds only occur every 8 to 12 years. The elevated topography blocks the airflow, effectively splitting the trade winds in two. Ask Question Log in. Factors such as elevation, pressure variations, rainfall, wind and topography combine to create distinctive locations throughout the islands. The Big Island of Hawaii is home to 8 out of 10 unique climatic sub-zones ranging from monsoon rains to arid desert. The southern middle portion of the mainland and central coastal areas are in the middle zones (zones 8, 7, and 6). The Hawaiian Islands receive most of their precipitation from October to April. They are also called "lehua winds" after the ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), whose red blossoms fill the air when these strong winds blow. It can help you learn how the temperatures in your area will affect the plants you grow in your garden and what plants you should be choosing for your garden. There may be as many as six or seven major storm events in a year. Windward areas tend to be cloudier during the summer, when the trade winds and associated clouds are more prevalent, while leeward areas, which are less affected by cloudy conditions associated with trade wind cloudiness, tend to be cloudier during the winter, when storm fronts pass through more frequently. Hawaii is in the tropics, where the length of day and temperature are relatively uniform throughout the year. Still temperate. Hawaii Island contains perhaps the world’s greatest concentration of climate types in its 4038 square miles. Alaska Time Zone. [citation needed], True hurricanes are rare in Hawai'i, thanks in part to the comparatively cool waters around the islands as well as unfavorable atmospheric conditions, such as enhanced wind shear; only four have affected the islands during 63 years.[when?] This volcanic cone is red because the last gases coming from the eruption are full of iron. The Hawaii climate is rather unique. Hawaii boasts 11 of the 13 climate zones in the world, each with unique ecosystems and weather characteristics. Typically, the trade winds continue across the Pacific — unless something gets in their way, like an island. This brings trade winds during the period of May through September, when they are prevalent 80 to 95 percent of the time. Eventually this may turn into rainforest. An entire winter may pass without a single well-developed Kona storm. The island of Hawaii for example hosts 4 (out of 5 in total) climate groups on a surface as small as 4,028 square miles (10,430 km ) according to the Köppen climate types: tropical, arid, temperate and polar. ( Log Out /  ( Log Out /  You can visit all of them on Hawai‘i Island, or find a few scattered throughout the Islands. These have more modest winds, below 74 mph (119 km/h). Park Rangers and volunteers offer regularly scheduled group hikes with different themes, to share the history and natural phenomena of this unique environment. Climate in Hawaii. Following Köppen climate classification scheme Hawaii has 4 out of the 5 major climate zones in the world and 8 out of 13 of the sub-zones. No place on earth has as much complex climatic diversity in such a small area as the Big Island. Second, the high mountain topography provides a significant disturbance to the winds. The significance of these statistics is that Hawaii has many climates. In Hawaii, the plant growing zones are 10 and 11. In the United States, most of the warmer zones (zones 9, 10, and 11) are located in the deep southern half of the country and on the southern coastal margins. Temperatures in these higher locations drop 3.5° F for every 1,000 feet above sea level that you climb, so dress appropriately with pants and several layers of clothing. When the driver of the rental car shuttle at Kona airport gives his little “welcome to the Big Island” speech, he will undoubtedly tell you that Hawaii Island is like a microcosm of the planet, with 10 of the world’s 14 or 15 identified climatic zones. Climate Zones and Big Island Weather. Climatology and Climate Changes. The 'Big Island' of Hawaii,... See full answer below. The top image above shows the winds around the Hawaiian Islands measured by the Seawinds instrument aboard. There are number of reasons why this has been observed only in Hawai‘i. During the winter, snowfall is common at the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on Hawaii Island. This rockpile is still classified as a temperate climate. Coastal areas are drier, especially the south and west side or leeward sides.[2]. Under trade wind conditions, there is very often a pronounced moisture discontinuity between 4,000 and 8,000 feet (1,200 and 2,400 m). Here are eight fun facts about Hawaii’s unique geography: 1. The hurricane season in the Hawaiian Islands is roughly from June through November, when hurricanes and tropical storms are most probable in the North Pacific. The highest temperature ever recorded on the islands was 100 °F (38 °C) on April 27, 1931 in Pahala. From dry, coastal, desert strand to some of the wettest spots on earth, to hot humid tropical lushness to stark, barren, snow-capped mountains, our big island offers an astonishing array of climates. Kona storms are features of the winter season. On the complete opposite side of the island, yet in the same Climate Zone, is the Kahuku Unit of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a 116,000-acre preserve of native forests, historic volcanic features, and relics of the ranching era. Some of the major metropolitan areas under this time zone include Honolulu, Hilo, and Kapaa. In leeward areas well screened from the trade winds (such as the west coast of Maui), skies are clear 30 to 60 percent of the time. Under this rainforest trail is lava. Climate is the average of weather over time. In the leeward areas, temperatures may reach into the low 90s several days during the year, but temperatures higher than these are unusual. The Kula winds are strong downslope winds on the lower slopes of the west side of Haleakala. Island wind patterns are very complex. On a clear winter day, level ground in Hawaii receives at least 67 percent as much solar energy between sunri… Ready to zone out? Yes, polar, with a frozen tundra. Temperatures at sea level generally range from highs of 84–88 °F (29–31 °C) during the summer months to 79–83 °F (26–28 °C) during the winter months. When counting also the Köppen sub-categories the island of Hawaii hosts 10 (out of 14 in total) climate zones. Aerodynamic theory indicates that an island wind wake effect should dissipate within a few hundred kilometers and not be felt in the western Pacific. They grow in bunches around the fruit trees. Hawaii differs from many tropical locations with pronounced wet and dry seasons, in that the wet season coincides with the winter months (rather than the summer months more typical of other places in the tropics). Kona storm rains are usually most intense in an arc, extending from south to east of the storm and well in advance of its center. From October through April, the heart of the trade winds moves south of Hawaii; thus there average wind speeds are lower across the islands. The name comes from winds out of the "kona" or usually leeward direction. Time Zone Currently Being Used in Hawaii. These are very localized, sometimes reaching speeds of 60 to 100 mph (100 to 160 km/h) and are best known in the settled areas of Kula and Lahaina on Maui. Our host’s bromeliads. When counting also the Köppen sub-categories the island of Hawaii hosts 10 (out of 14 in total) climate zones. [3], Temperatures of 90 °F (32 °C) and above are uncommon (with the exception of dry, leeward areas). A World of Climate Zones on the Big Island. The island of Hawaii for example hosts 4 (out of 5 in total) climate groups on a surface as small as 4,028 square miles (10,430 km2) according to the Köppen climate types: tropical, arid, temperate and polar. You have probably heard a similar oft-quoted line, “Hawaii has 11 of the world’s 13 climate … It is also important for understanding natural climate variations, like El Niño. It’s one of the most ecologically diverse places in the world — a place where you can ski on … In fact, there are eight distinct climate zones on the Big Island alone, making this one of the most ecological diverse places in the world. Offset Time Zone Abbreviation & Name Example City Current Time; UTC -10: HST: Hawaii Standard Time This allows you experience within a matter of hours the lush fern forests of Puna, the sunny rugged lava plains of Kona, the cool and misty breezes of Waimea, the dry heat of Kau, and the snowy plains on Mauna Kea. Hana has had as much as 28 in (710 mm) of rain in a single 24-hour period. The area is good for agriculture, possibly some marijuana fields hidden away. Hawaii’s climate map, courtesy of the Mauna Loa Observatory. I’d venture to guess that there’s not anywhere else on earth where you can … The usual run of trade wind weather yields many light showers in the lowlands, whereas torrential rains are associated with a sudden surge in the trade winds or with a major storm. More often there are one or two such storms a year; sometimes four or five. Though the trade winds are fairly constant, their relatively uniform air flow is distorted and disrupted by mountains, hills, and valleys. On all the islands except Hawaii, the north and east (windward) sides are wet, the south and west (leeward) sides are dry. Hawaii has three climate zones. The American state of Hawaii, which covers the Hawaiian Islands, is tropical but it experiences many different climates, depending on altitude and surroundings. Nontornadic waterspouts are more common than tornadoes produced by supercells, which produce stronger, longer lasting tornadoes, especially with respect to inland areas, and also produce the largest hail, such as the 2012 Hawaii hailstorm. These cows look just like the ones grazing in California near the ocean, only here in Hawaii the grass is a bit greener. Coastal areas in south and west are drier. We marked these zones on the map below, which is based on work from J. Jurvik in the 20th-anniversary report for the Mauna Loa observatory [ source ]. Climate Historical Summaries Weather", National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "WMO climate normals for Hilo/WSO AP 87, HI 1961−1990", "WMO Climate Normals for HONOLULU, OAHU, HI 1961–1990", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Climate_of_Hawaii&oldid=1002502639, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from February 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Source: NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961−1990), Source: NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990), This page was last edited on 24 January 2021, at 19:14. This is one of the warmest areas on the USDA plant hardiness zone map. Because of trade-winds and potential torrential rains most of resorts are located on the leeward coasts of the islands. Temperatures are lower at higher altitudes. Generally speaking, the state of Hawaii is tropical, but the temperature and climate can vary dramatically depending on where you are located on a particular island. The inversion tends to suppress the vertical movement of air and so restricts cloud development to the zone just below the inversion. ( Log Out /  Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. September is the hottest month for Waikoloa Village with an average high temperature of 82.3°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Hawaii. Many visitors are drawn to the natural beauty found in higher elevations such as Kokee on Kauai, Haleakala on Maui or Kilauea on the island of Hawaii. We experienced them all… In fact, it has 8 to 11 (depending on interpretation) of 13 recognized climate zones. Usually winds blow upslope by day and downslope by night. In fact, it has 8 to 11 (depending on interpretation) of 13 recognized climate zones. Despite being small islands within the vast Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian Islands have a surprising effect on ocean currents and circulation patterns over much of the Pacific. A climate chart for your city, indicating the monthly high temperatures and rainfall. Another hurricane, Iwa, caused significant damage in 1982 but its center passed nearby and did not directly make landfall. Hawaii has 10 of the world’s 14 climate zones. For more information, see, annual average of approximately one tornado, "Snow closes Haleakala National Park and creates social media buzz", https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=28119&cityname=Honolulu,+Hawaii,+United+States+of+America, "Western U.S. WET AND DRY. … Official records for Honolulu have been kept at downtown from February 1877 to September 1949, and at Honolulu Int'l since October 1949. Major storms occur most frequently in October through March. We’re about 9,000 feet up Mauna Kea, above the clouds. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Isn’t it amazing that all of those climates exist so compactly on island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. On trade wind days when the inversion is well defined, the clouds develop below these heights with only an occasional cloud top breaking through the inversion. In fact, it has 8 to 11 (depending on interpretation) of 13 recognized climate zones. The counter current had been observed by oceanographers near the Hawaiian Islands years before the long wake was discovered, but they did not know what caused it.[13]. The time zone observes Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST), which is obtained by subtracting 10 hours from UTC (UTC-10:00). The Pacific High, and with it the trade-wind zone, moves north and south with changing angle of the sun, so that it reaches its northernmost position in the summer. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. It’s very difficult to get to the valley. On Maui, the summit of Haleakalā occasionally experiences snowfall, but snow had never been observed below 7,500 feet (2,300 m) before February 2019, when snow was observed at 6,200 feet (1,900 m) and fell at higher elevations in amounts large enough to force Haleakalā National Park to close for several days. Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. Weather in Hawaii is unique because it can be raining all day on one side of the island and sunny on the other side. Sunset climate zones: Hawaii. For instance, Honolulu's Köppen climate classification is the rare As wet-winter subcategory of the Tropical wet and dry climate type.[5]. While Big Island weather can change dramatically from one day to the next, climate is generally defined as prevailing weather patterns in an area over an extended period of time. The islands receive most rainfall from the Per BigIsland.org, there are as many different climate zones on the island of Hawaii as exist along the entire coast stretching from Alaska to Costa Rica. Such storms bring heavy rains and can be accompanied by strong local winds. These winds tend to be strongest from 2,000 to 4,000 ft (600 to 1,200 m) above mean sea level. He has a lovely garden with various fruit trees and flowering plants. In these locations the sky is cloudy more than 70 percent of the time. In the Pliocene era, where CO2 levels were comparable to those we see today, the waters around Hawai'i were much warmer, resulting in frequent hurricane strikes in computer simulations.[10]. The wind wake drives an eastward "counter current" that brings warm water 5,000 miles (8,000 km) from the Asian coast. Higher zones can be found in Hawaii (up to 12) and Puerto Rico (up to 13). Hawaii’s climate zones – just how many are there. [1] The islands receive most rainfall from the trade winds on their north and east flanks (the windward side) as a result of orographic precipitation. The long wake testifies to the strong interaction between the atmosphere and ocean, which has strong implications for global climate research. The storms may be associated with the passage of a cold front, the leading edge of a mass of relatively cool air that is moving from west to east or from northwest to southeast. We did have heavy rain one day when we ventured north into the region north of Hilo near Waimea identified as “monsoon” climate. This keeps vacationing folks comfortable most of the year without the rain that hits other parts of the island. They issue from canyons at the base of the western Maui mountains, where steeper canyon slopes meet the more gentle piedmont slope below. Drier conditions generally prevail from May to September. Home Science Math History Literature Technology Health Law Business All Topics Random. The surface waters of the open ocean around Hawaii range from 75 °F (24 °C) between late February and early April, to a maximum of 82 °F (28 °C) in late September or early October. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Rainfall in a well-developed Kona storm is widespread and more prolonged than in the usual cold-front storm. Hawaii Island, otherwise known as the Big Island, only takes up 4,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean, but it is home to four of the five major climate zones found on the planet. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. There are 9 climate zones in the contiguous United States, and 10 including the tropical climate zone of Hawaii. They are extremely violent, with wind speeds of 80–100 mph (130–160 km/h) or more. Solved: What climate zone is Hawaii? What killed these trees on the way up Mauna Kea? British explorer Captain James Cook was the first European to discover the islands in 1778. These storms tend to originate off the coast of Mexico (particularly the Baja California peninsula) and track west or northwest towards the islands. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010. This warm water drives further changes in wind, allowing the island effect to extend far into the western Pacific. First, the ocean reacts slowly to fast-changing winds; winds must be steady to exert force on the ocean, such as the trade winds. Third, the Hawaiian Islands are large in horizontal (east-west) scale, extending over four degrees in longitude. The rains may continue steadily, but the longer lasting ones are characteristically interrupted by intervals of lighter rain or partial clearing, as well as by intense showers superimposed on the more moderate continuous, steady rain. The usual clarity of the air in the high mountains is associated with the low moisture content of the air. An annual average of approximately one tornado, either emanating from supercells or by other processes, occurs. Hilo on the east side is in the humid tropical climate, considered “continuously wet.” Our host in Hilo said he had 140 inches of rain annually in his old home so he moved about 10 miles south and now has only 100 inches of rain. Looking down onto the tops of a lush palm forest. There are 14 climate zones identified by the Koppen Climate Classification System and 10 of them can be found in Hawaii. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! In the United States, only Florida has warmer surf temperatures.[4]. Just south of Kona is considered a humid tropical climate. Seattle has the coldest summers of any American capital city, even colder than Juneau, Alaska. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). These towering clouds form along the mountains where the incoming trade wind air converges as it moves up a valley and is forced up and over the mountains to heights of several thousand feet. These zone descriptions will guide you in choosing the right plants for your garden. Here’s your guide. A true-color satellite view of Hawaii shows that most of the flora on the islands grow on the north-east sides, which face the trade winds. Rarely does the temperature rise from above 90 °F (32 °C) or drop below 60 °F (16 °C) at lower elevations. The Lahaina winds are also downslope winds, but are somewhat different. Water is piped in to meet needs and provide irrigation for lush vegetation. Annual mean rainfall ranges from 7.4 in (188 mm) on the summit of Mauna Kea[6] to 404.4 in (10,271 mm) in Big Bog. The inversion is present 50 to 70 percent of the time; its height fluctuates from day to day, but it is usually between 5,000 and 7,000 feet (1,500 and 2,100 m). Every year or two a tropical storm will affect the weather in some part of the islands. The inner parts of the island have a temperate climate. However, the wind wake caused by the Hawaiian Islands extends 1,860 miles (3,000 km), roughly 10 times longer than any other wake. Climate is the average of weather over time. The break (a large-scale feature of the Pacific High) is caused by a temperature inversion embedded in the moving trade wind air. Severe thunderstorms, as defined by the National Weather Service (NWS) as tornadoes, hail 1 in (25 mm) or larger, and/or convective winds of at least 58 mph (93 km/h) occur but are relatively uncommon. Than New Jersey from sea level often a pronounced moisture discontinuity between 4,000 and 8,000 (! 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All Topics Random how many climate zones are in hawaii small area as the climate zones down onto the tops of a palm. 1,200 and 2,400 m ) usual clarity of the world, each with unique ecosystems weather. Saving time the zone just below the inversion tends to suppress the vertical movement of air and restricts... Your details below or click an icon to Log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account through.... [ 4 ] these heights, the sky is almost cloudless ( cloudless! Sorry, your blog can not share posts by email island and sunny on islands. Below the inversion tends to suppress the vertical movement of air and so restricts cloud to. Zone descriptions will guide You in choosing the right plants for your garden any American capital,... Asian coast implications for global climate research water is piped in to meet needs and provide for! The moving trade wind conditions, there is very often a pronounced moisture between...