Maui’s Weather – Something for Everyone.

We’re getting into the time of year on the mainland -– that’s how we here in Hawaii refer to the 48 contiguous states — when friends and relatives start making envious comments about our weather.

Truthfully, we do tend to rub it in a little. When I lived on Oahu, I remember walking down to the beach, usually around the middle of February, and wading out to my knees in the ocean to call my brother in Illinois and inquire solicitously if he had grown tired of winter yet. He always seemed to take it in good humor.

Then I quit work and we moved to Maui.

Maui is different. If you don’t like the weather where you happen to be, there will always be something completely different going on just a few miles away. Something is at work here – the topography, wind patterns, or maybe ancient Hawaiian gods – that creates little micro-climates all over the island.

I took this photograph about twenty minutes ago from our front deck. It’s chilly here in the Ha’iku area -– at least, by our standards -– and the rain is being driven across our pasture at a 45-degree angle by strong gusts of wind. We’ve had a fire going all morning in the little wood-burning stove in the corner of our living room.

Meanwhile, chances are the tourists are lolling on the beach under clear skies and a warm sun over on the far side of West Maui at Kaanapali or Kapalua. That’s just an hour’s drive from here.

Curious, isn’t it? And quite wonderful, too.