Wind & Rain on the Big Island

The Big Island has 13 of 15 of the world’s major environmental zones as well as a patch work quilt of micro climates. It can be sunny and calm in Kona and pouring rain with nuclear winds in Hawi or Honoka’a. Deciding where to ride if you hope to stay dry and not be blown off your bike can be tricky.  Technology can help you make a decision. There are a number of websites for checking ‘real time’ conditions around the Big Island.

Rain: To find where it’s raining and where it’s likely to rain, check out Doppler Radar. One excellent website for checking real time Doppler Radar is KITV.com.

Wind: To find current wind conditions around the Big Island, a good option is the Weather Underground system. Weather Underground sites are on-line weather stations maintained by individuals and institutions. To locate stations on the Big Island go to the Weather Underground Interactive Map. You can bookmark the stations of interest. There are weather stations at Upolu Airport in Hawi, Kona Airport, Hilo Airport, and Volcano National Park.

Big Island Weather: NOAA Forecast for Big Island Leeward Side is a 5 day weather forcast as well as current wind readings around the Big Island.