If you think Hawaii is all about sunshine and sandy beaches, you might be surprised. This state is home to some of the wettest places on earth, where rain falls almost every day and green landscapes stretch as far as the eye can see.
Mount Waiʻaleʻale on Kauai gets some of the most rainfall in Hawaii every year (Mount Waiʻaleʻale).
Different parts of Hawaii can have totally different weather. While some spots are dry and sunny, places like Maui’s Puʻu Kukui and Kauai’s Mount Waiʻaleʻale get so much precipitation that they rank among the top ten rainiest spots in the world (wettest spots on earth).
The high average annual rainfall in these areas shapes the lush rainforests, waterfalls, and unique ecosystems that make Hawaii so special. If you want to know where to find endless green views and the most rain, keep reading to find out about Hawaii’s wettest places.
What Makes Hawaii One of the Wettest Regions
Hawaii’s climate and unique landforms create its extreme rainfall. Steady trade winds and high volcanic mountains bring some of the highest rain totals on Earth.
Geography and Climate
Hawaii sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where warm waters help form moist, tropical air. Cool, moist trade winds blow in from the northeast almost every day.
These steady winds push ocean moisture toward the islands. The mountains lift the air, creating orographic lift.
As the moist air rises, it cools and drops rain—sometimes a lot of it. This process is strongest on the windward sides of the islands.
Some areas, like Kauai’s Mount Wai‘ale‘ale, get over 400 inches of rain each year. Wai‘ale‘ale and Big Bog on Maui receive heavy rainfall because they sit right in the path of the trade winds.
Midlatitude storms—like Kona storms—sometimes bring even more rain. These storms help create true tropical rainforests in certain locations.
The Role of Shield Volcanoes
Hawaii’s high shield volcanoes create wet climates. Massive volcanoes such as Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and those in Maui and Kauai form wide, gentle slopes.
Trade winds hit these slopes and push the air higher. This increases orographic lift and causes more condensation and heavy rainfall on the windward sides.
Peaks like Pu‘u Kukui and Wai‘ale‘ale almost always stay wrapped in clouds and rain because of this effect. Rainfall patterns change a lot depending on elevation and the side of the volcano.
The leeward (downwind) sides are much drier. Shield volcanoes create sharp contrasts between wet, lush forests and dry, sunny areas.
You can see dramatic shifts in average rainfall just a few miles apart due to this natural design. For more on how these volcanoes influence rain, visit this Hawaiian Rainforests page.
Mount Waialeale: The Heart of Hawaiian Rainfall
Kaua‘i’s famous rain-soaked peak, Mount Wai‘ale‘ale, draws visitors and nature lovers from around the world. Its unique setting brings some of the heaviest rainfall on Earth and covers its slopes in wild waterfalls and thick, green vegetation.
Why Mount Waialeale Is So Wet
Mount Wai‘ale‘ale stands 5,148 feet above sea level in the middle of Kauai. Its central location means that clouds hit its steep sides from every direction, drop their rain, and create a very wet climate.
It rains here about 335 to 360 days a year, which is almost every day. Annual totals often go past 450 inches, and sometimes much more.
In 1982, the mountain received a record 683 inches of rain, making it one of the wettest spots on earth.
Here’s how the rainfall at Mount Wai‘ale‘ale compares to other spots:
| Location | Average Annual Rainfall (inches) |
|---|---|
| Mount Wai‘ale‘ale | 450–460 |
| Seattle | 39 |
| Honolulu | 18 |
This constant rain feeds the area’s rivers and keeps the mountain slopes green year-round.
Weeping Wall and the Lush Slopes
Mount Wai‘ale‘ale’s famous “Weeping Wall” features water pouring down the cliff face in streams that look like endless tears. The constant rain makes this wall look as if it is always crying and gives the crater a mystical feeling.
All this water keeps the slopes thick with greenery. Ferns, mosses, and rare native plants cover the area.
Many unique birds and other wildlife also live in this rainforest. The heavy rain and cool temperatures create perfect conditions for tropical plants and animals to thrive, making every hike an adventure through a living, green world.
To see more about the mountain’s rainy reputation, check out this detailed look at Mount Wai‘ale‘ale.
Other Rainiest Spots and Their Unique Features
Some of Hawaii’s wettest places are famous for more than just the amount of rain they get each year. These locations are also home to rare plants, lush forests, and important hiking trails.
Pu’u Kukui on Maui
Pu’u Kukui in the West Maui Mountains stands out as one of the rainiest places in Hawaii and the world. This peak can get more than 350 inches of rain a year according to some records.
Most of the time, thick clouds and mist hide the summit. The constant rain creates a special bog at the top that acts like a sponge, soaking up water and keeping everything wet.
Many endemic species—plants and animals found only in Hawaii—live in this area. You can’t hike to the summit without a permit, but guided tours and research trips are available by special permission.
The area helps provide water for much of West Maui. For more details about the rainfall and unique conditions at this site, check out this article on Pu’u Kukui’s record rainfall.
Alakai Swamp and Kawaikini
Alakai Swamp sits high up on the island of Kauai, near Kawaikini, the mountain’s tallest point. It’s one of the largest high-elevation swamps in the world and is famous for its constant wet weather.
Clouds drifting across the mountains bring much of the water. Kawaikini, at over 5,200 feet high, often gets around 29.8 feet of rain every year.
The Kuilau Ridge Trail and boardwalks let visitors safely hike into the swamp and see the landscape up close. Many plants and birds found here live nowhere else.
The wet soil and foggy air help rare species survive. Kawaikini and Alakai Swamp rank among the rainiest spots in Hawaii.
Exploring Hawaii’s Wettest Landscapes
Hawaii’s rain-soaked regions stand out from anywhere else in the world. Frequent downpours create powerful waterfalls, rushing rivers, and thick tropical rainforests.
These areas are great for outdoor activities and a chance to see rare plants and animals.
Waterfalls and Rivers Shaped by Rainfall
Mount Waiʻaleʻale and the Big Bog on Maui receive some of the highest rainfall in Hawaii. Water spills down green cliffs and mountain slopes, forming rivers and waterfalls.
Hanalei and Wailua show how constant rain shapes the land. Walking near the Wailua River, I see water twisting through a valley filled with rainforest plants.
Powerful waterfalls, like Wailua Falls and those deep in the Hanalei area, are great spots for photos. Rain fuels the growth of dense trees, vines, and mosses that cover the ground almost everywhere.
In Waimea Valley, fast-flowing streams carry water from the higher peaks, carving out deep gorges and pools. These rivers are home to native fish and support thriving plant life.
Rainfall keeps the water running clear and cool all year.
Hiking Through the Lush Terrain
Hiking in these lush areas lets you experience the vibrant ecosystem and tropical rainforest up close. The Kuilau Ridge Trail, for example, leads through layers of greenery where ferns and bright flowers line the path.
Along the way, I hear calls from native birds and sometimes spot rare Hawaiian plants hidden among the trees. The trail can get muddy and slick after rain, so I choose sturdy shoes and plan ahead.
The reward is a view of rolling green hills and misty mountain ridges. Other rainforest trails wind through Hanalei Valley and the slopes near Mount Waiʻaleʻale.
On every hike, I pass through thick vegetation, cross small streams, and breathe air filled with the scent of wet leaves. The constant rainfall creates a perfect home for unique plants and animals, and I feel surrounded by the beauty of nature at every step.
A Closer Look at Major Hawaiian Islands’ Rainfall
Rainfall in Hawaii changes a lot from place to place. Some islands and specific spots receive much more precipitation than others, making them truly unique.
Kauai: Island of Rain
Kauai is well known as the wettest island in Hawaii. The summit of Mount Wai‘ale‘ale on Kauai gets some of the highest yearly rainfall in the world. Rainfall here often reaches up to 450 inches.
This much rain helps create lush forests and many waterfalls. Even in towns like Līhu‘e, which sit at lower elevations, rainfall stays high.
For example, Līhu‘e Airport recorded about 27.89 inches during a recent wet season. This made it the 14th wettest October through April in decades.
Kauai’s mountains and frequent rain showers bring heavy precipitation. Some areas get more than double the rainfall of places just a few miles away.
You can check more details on Kauai’s rainfall patterns on the Hawaii Star website.
Maui: Pu’u Kukui’s Influence
On Maui, most of the rainfall falls around Pu‘u Kukui. This mountain stands in the West Maui Mountains and ranks as one of the rainiest places in the United States.
Pu‘u Kukui receives as much as 300–400 inches of rain on average each year. This rain supports thick forests and rare plants that grow only in this part of the island.
The rain mostly falls on the mountain slopes. Nearby coastal regions stay much drier.
Maui’s higher elevations show big changes in rainfall over short distances. The wettest areas usually sit northeast of the mountains, where trade winds drop rain after hitting the slopes.
This pattern creates both lush valleys and dry beaches on Maui.
The Big Island and Oahu’s Rainy Regions
Rainfall on the Big Island varies greatly from one side to the other. The east side around Hilo gets most of the rain.
Hilo often records over 120 inches of rain in a year. This makes it one of the wettest cities in the country.
On the west side near Kona, rainfall drops to about 20 inches a year. The large volcanoes block the rain from reaching the dry side.
Oahu also has both wet and dry regions. The Ko‘olau Mountains on the east side catch most of the island’s rain. Some spots here measure over 100 inches per year.
Honolulu and the leeward areas get much less rain. You can find more information about rainfall patterns on these islands in the yearly rainfall averages for Hawaii.
Comparing Hawaii to the Wettest Places on Earth
Rainfall in Hawaii is famous, but other places around the world also get extreme amounts of rain. Some of these spots record even higher totals than Hawaii.
International Rivals in Rainfall
The top ten wettest places on earth often include locations in India and South America. In India, Mawsynram and Cherrapunji, both in the Meghalaya region, usually compete for the title of wettest place on earth.
Mawsynram gets about 467 inches of rain every year. Cherrapunji is close behind.
Rainfall is also high in other parts of the world. Tutendo in Colombia and Cropp River in New Zealand both get over 450 inches of rain per year.
Debundscha at the foot of Mount Cameroon in Africa and places like Bioko Island are also known for heavy rain. Even the Sichuan Province in China sometimes sees extreme rainfall.
You can see how Mount Waialeale in Hawaii compares to these locations by checking this list of the top wettest places on earth.
Table: Annual Rainfall at Some of the Wettest Places
| Location | Average Rainfall (inches/year) |
|---|---|
| Mawsynram, India | 467 |
| Cherrapunji, India | 463 |
| Tutendo, Colombia | 463 |
| Cropp River, NZ | 453 |
| Debundscha, Cameroon | 405 |
| Mt. Waialeale, HI | 373 – 519 |
What Sets Hawaii Apart
Mount Waialeale in Hawaii may get less rain than Mawsynram or Cherrapunji, but it still stands out. The steady year-round rainfall and fast-changing weather make it special.
Heavy clouds often cover Mount Waialeale. In some years, like 2018, it received more than 500 inches of rain, according to Hawaii.com.
Other peaks like Pu’u Kukui on Maui also get high rainfall. These mountains rank among the world’s wettest spots.
Mountains, ocean winds, and steep terrain cause rain to fall almost daily in these places. In Hawaii, wet weather is spread out across the year instead of coming in a single rainy season.
Streams, waterfalls, and rainforests stay lush and green throughout every season. This makes Hawaii unique among the world’s wettest places.
How Rainfall Shapes Hawaii’s Ecosystems
Heavy rainfall shapes unique habitats in Hawaii. It affects the plants and animals that live there and influences how people use the land.
Flora and Fauna of the Rainiest Regions
In places like Mount Wai‘ale‘ale and the Big Bog on Maui, rain falls almost every day. This steady moisture supports tropical rainforests filled with tall ferns and moss.
Thick groves of hala trees, with their long spiky leaves, are common here. These forests stay green and full of life.
Many native plants and animals live only in these wet places. Certain birds and insects have adapted to the rainy mountain slopes.
Some of them can’t survive anywhere else. Unfortunately, new plants and animals brought from outside sometimes harm these rare species.
Tropical rainforests in Hawaii are also popular for hiking. Trails are often muddy but lined with waterfalls, bright flowers, and dense foliage.
Cultural and Environmental Impact
Rainy areas have shaped Hawaiian culture for generations. Traditional stories describe the special connection between rain, land, and people.
Farmers rely on predictable rains to grow wetland taro. This crop remains a staple food today.
Communities gather plants like hala from forests. People weave these plants into mats and hats.
I enjoy watching local crafters use these materials. Steady rainfall supports clean streams that flow from the mountains to the ocean.
All this water protects wetlands and recharges underground aquifers. Too much rain can cause landslides or flood valleys.
Healthy forests help manage water and prevent damage in these regions. For more details about rainfall patterns, visit this article on rainiest places on Maui.
