What kind of weather can I expect in Maui in October?

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Maui Weather Is Very Localized

Weather on Maui is very localized, so the average temperature doesn't really tell the whole story. Also, the rain tends to fall all at once like a flash food, so the quantity of rain isn't that relevant except for the windward shore (i.e. Hana) where it rains all the time.

Key Aspects Determining the Weather You Will Experience on Maui

In my experience here's what you need to know about weather for Maui:

The weather on the windward shore (i.e. Hana and the road to it) is wet and not hot.
Unless you stay in Hana you can comfortably drive to most of the island on a day-trip basis, particularly if you stay in Kihei area.
There is good weather (sunshine, little wind, warm temperature) somewhere on the island almost every day.
It is relatively common for any one part of the island to have sort of lousy weather (by tropical standards) for a week at a time.

Your Strategy Will Determine Your Odds of Experiencing Good Weather

Assuming you're not staying in Hana, you've got two basic strategies that will determine the weather that you experience.

Strategy 1: You rent a car and drive to wherever the weather is good every day.

Likely Outcome: You'll enjoy a hot beach every day -- you just won't know which one until the day of.

Worst Case: You'll have one or two days of bad weather.

Strategy 2: You stay in one place all day every day.

Likely outcome: You'll have a few good and a few bad weather days.

Worst Case: The weather is miserable for your entire stay.

Recommended Clothing

Even for those who are cold most of the time, and even when it's raining, it is rare that long sleeves are required. (The one exception is at elevation on Haleakala -- temperatures decline all the way to freezing as you reach the top the crater.) My wife and I have been on several multi week trips to maui at all times of the year and have never needed more long pants than those worn on the plane.

We normally wear short sleeves and swim gear (i.e. bikini or board shorts) Then we use cotton hoodies and hats or tuques to regulate body temperature up, or go shirtless and into the water to regulate down.

Sun Exposure

Maui is pretty close to the equator which has two effects:

the peak midday sun is very high and intense
the days are fairly short so the peak is also short

In other words, Hawaii has an extreme peak of UV exposure in the middle of the day. That peak is difficult to manage even with sunscreen, hats, and sleeves; particularly if you are hard-starting a tan. This is demonstrated by the many tourists you'll see with sunburns on the top side of their bodies.

If you stay in the shade between 11a and 2p you'll have a much lower likelihood of burning.

Water Temperature

The ocean water often feels cold when you get in, this is because your skin temperature is typically high in Maui, so you feel cold for a moment when you first get in. Once you are in the water, it is warm enough to stay indefinitely unless you are completely sedentary.

Many swimming pools in Maui are not heated and seem to be noticeably colder than the ocean. I usually can't stay in these unheated pools indefinitely because they are too cold.

alx9r 3727

Upvote:3

According to this website

October averages for different locations:

Maui Lahaina 88-69 F. (31.7C-20.6C) 1.09" of precipitation

Hana 83-70 F. (28.9C-21.1C) 7.02" of precipitation