By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: Maui weather by area varies more than most movers expect. NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals show about 10.8 inches of rain a year in north Kīhei and 16.2 inches at Kahului Airport, compared with 23 inches in Kula, 72 inches in Hāna and more than 77 inches near Haʻikū. Kula averages about 13°F cooler than Kahului.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui, and if you’re deciding where to live on Maui, here’s what the official climate data says about weather by area, and what it means for the home you buy. Rainfall, heat and wind change a lot over short distances here, and that affects everything from air conditioning and electricity bills to roofs, yards and water supply.

How much does it rain in different parts of Maui?

Leeward, low-elevation areas like Kīhei and Kahului are the driest, and windward East Maui is the wettest. Here are NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 climate normals for stations in each area:

Area	NOAA station (elevation)	Annual rain	Avg high / low
Kīhei (north)	Kihei 311 (~158 ft)	10.82 in	not recorded
Mākena (South Maui)	Makena Golf Course (~88 ft)	15.70 in	83.9°F / 66.3°F
Kahului	Kahului Airport (~51 ft)	16.21 in	86.1°F / 68.1°F
Kāʻanapali area	Puukolii (~421 ft)	23.33 in	80.8°F / 67.5°F
Kapalua	Kapalua-West Maui Airport (~240 ft)	27.77 in	82.7°F / 69.0°F
Kula (Upcountry)	Kula Branch Station (~3,100 ft)	23.00 in	71.7°F / 56.0°F
Pāʻia	Paia (~205 ft)	29.97 in	not recorded
Haʻikū area	Kuiaha (~1,120 ft)	77.37 in	not recorded
Hāna	Hana Airport (~75 ft)	72.15 in	80.0°F / 68.6°F

NOAA doesn’t publish a 1991–2020 normal for Lahaina town itself, so I’ve used the nearest West Maui stations. Even within one area, totals change quickly. A second Kula station, at Kula Hospital, averages about 31 inches.

When is the rainy season on Maui?

The wet season runs roughly October through April, and the dry season roughly May through September, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu. In leeward areas like Kīhei, Lahaina and Kahului, most of the year’s rain comes from a few winter storms. At Kahului, NOAA’s monthly normals put about 85% of the annual rain in October through April (my own sum of the monthly values), with December the wettest month (2.80 inches) and June the driest (0.17 inches).

Kona lows, the winter storms that bring rain from the south and west, typically occur one to three times a year, according to NOAA and the Western Regional Climate Center. NWS Honolulu notes that October has more flash flooding than any other month.

How hot does it get in Kīhei and Kahului?

Coastal Central and South Maui are warm all year. At Kahului Airport, average highs run from 82.2°F in January to 90.0°F in September, and NOAA’s records show about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter. Upcountry is different: Kula Branch Station’s average high never tops 75.7°F in any month, and January lows average 53.1°F.

NWS Honolulu says temperatures drop about 3°F for every 1,000 feet of elevation. Comparing the NOAA normals, Kula (about 3,100 feet) averages 63.9°F and Kahului averages 77.1°F, which is about 13°F cooler.

What about trade winds and vog?

Trade winds blow about 80–95% of the time from May through September and 50–80% of the time from October through April, according to the Western Regional Climate Center. Kahului’s annual mean wind speed is 12.8 mph (NOAA). When the trades stop, mostly in winter, the U.S. Geological Survey says “the entire State of Hawaii can be affected by vog,” the volcanic haze from Hawaiʻi Island. USGS also notes vog can leach metals from roofs into rainwater catchment systems.

What is the weather outlook for Maui this winter?

Drier than normal is favored. On October 8, 2026, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center kept an El Niño Advisory in place, with a greater than 83% chance of a strong to very strong El Niño through January–March 2027. CPC’s Hawaiʻi outlook issued October 15, 2026 favors below-normal rain at Kahului for November through March. I covered this in more detail in my post on Maui’s El Niño winter.

How does Maui’s weather affect the home you buy?

It affects your running costs and your due diligence:

• Cooling and electricity. Hawaiʻi had the highest average retail electricity price in the U.S. in 2024, at 38.00 cents per kWh (U.S. Energy Information Administration). A home in Kīhei or Kahului will usually run its AC more than one in Kula. See my post on Maui electricity rates.
• Water source. Homes on rainwater catchment, more common in wetter rural areas, depend on rainfall, and NOAA notes catchment users feel drought first.
• Moisture and wind. In wetter areas, look closely at roofs, gutters and drainage. In upper Kula, the Western Regional Climate Center notes downslope winds can exceed 40 mph about twice a year.

My Take: What I’m Telling Buyers About Maui’s Microclimates

Most importantly, I want to understand what your Maui future looks like. Do you surf, go to the beach, swim, snorkel or scuba dive? How much space do you want between you and the next home? Do you prefer the cooler weather Upcountry, the rain in Haʻikū, or the sunsets from the Wailuku hillside? Those answers narrow the map quickly.

From there, I’d visit your top two or three areas at different times of day, and in both seasons if you can. A November afternoon in Haʻikū and a September afternoon in Kīhei will tell you more than any table. Then look at the property itself: when I walk a property with a buyer, I look at the water meter, how close the property is to vacant land parcels, the general condition of the surrounding area, and ingress and egress, meaning how you get into and out of the area. Those are the things that connect weather to day-to-day living and to fire and flood exposure.

For budgeting, I’d ask the seller for 12 months of electric bills, which show cooling costs better than any estimate, and get insurance quotes early in escrow. With a drier-than-normal winter favored this year, take a close look at dry vegetation on and around any lot you’re considering. For the bigger picture on monthly costs, see my cost of living guide.

FAQ

What is the driest part of Maui?
Among NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals, the north Kīhei station is one of the driest, at 10.82 inches a year.

What is the wettest place on Maui?
Big Bog on windward Haleakalā averages about 404 inches a year, the highest in the islands, according to the University of Hawaiʻi’s Rainfall Atlas.

Is Upcountry Maui cold?
Not by mainland standards. Kula Branch Station averages a 53.1°F low in January and a 75.7°F high in August.

Does it snow on Maui?
Occasionally on the Haleakalā summit, about once every two to three years, according to NWS Honolulu.

Ask Benjamin

If you’re comparing areas and want to know what living in a specific home would be like, I’m Benjamin Finnerty, and I’m happy to help you compare locations, utility costs and property details. Call or text 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals); NOAA Local Climatological Data via Hawaiʻi State Data Book 2023; National Weather Service Honolulu; NOAA Climate Prediction Center (Oct. 8 and Oct. 15, 2026); NOAA State Climate Summary for Hawaiʻi; Western Regional Climate Center; U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory; University of Hawaiʻi Rainfall Atlas of Hawaiʻi; U.S. Energy Information Administration.