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The long of it

Hawaii’s coastal weather is temperate to a degree that puts the so-called “temperate” zones of the world to shame. The humidity is moderate, too: 50% to 60%, not the sweltering horror of some other tropical lands. It is warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter, but the “extremes” are only a few degrees apart—nothing like those on the mainland.

Hawaii’s mild climate is determined largely by its tropical location and also by the northeast trade winds that sweep across it. The northeast trade winds—so-called because sea captains took advantage of them on their trade routes—are dependable, steady winds that blow from the northeast across the thousands of miles of open sea that separate the Hawaiian Islands from the continents. They are responsible for keeping the temperature and the humidity moderate. Since they are the prevailing winds in this area, the side of the island that faces them is called the “windward” side. The opposite side of the island is the opposite of windward; in nautical terms, “leeward.”