runway1
Contributor
On Maui, I've been seeing 18-22 knot winds recorded in the afternoon, almost everyday. Is this typical for August or is this unusual? I'm there next week and was wondering if this was average for this time or an anomaly.
Are 20 Knot Winds Typical?
- Thread starter runway1
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Totally normal - trade winds come up in the afternoons there and the ocean gets choppy, as you probably guessed.
Do your boat dives in the morning (most operators don't go out in the afternoons anyway), and find a protected area in the afternoons if you're going to dive from shore.
Do your boat dives in the morning (most operators don't go out in the afternoons anyway), and find a protected area in the afternoons if you're going to dive from shore.
acooper
Contributor
Totally normal, we are in a tradewind pattern right now and glad for it. Trades are actually good to have around, the weather becomes predictable, you know where it will rain and where it will be nice and sunny. General weather forecasts in the islands are useless as there are so many microclimates caused by the island terrian. All you listen for is whether the trades are blowing or not, that usually tells any longtime island resident everything they need to know about the weather.
Most of the good dive sites are in the lee of the islands, that is where you will also find the sunny weather.
Most of the good dive sites are in the lee of the islands, that is where you will also find the sunny weather.
Totally normal. That's why Hawaii is a windsurfing mecca! The surf may not be as high as in the winter, but the winds are awesome -- unless of course you're trying to dive on the windward side of the island! 
Doug (current dive instructor but former professional windsurfer)
Doug (current dive instructor but former professional windsurfer)
Contrary to the above information, I was talking with my previous employer (Gary @ ProDiver) and he tells me this is the windiest summer he has ever seen.
In the past when there were enough customers many of the Kihei small boat ramp Molokini boats would make a second trip to Molokini, but Gary said they have made very few this summer because of the stronger/earlier than normal winds.
Then a few days later when I was kayak diving the backside later than prudent, ProDiver was there with a second trip.
The good dive sites we dive regularly are on the leeward sides of the Island but there are really good dive sites on the windward side; we just don't do them except when the wind and waves are right; which is not very often.
This may mean the winds have been a little off their normal heading because even when small craft warnings are up my infrequent trips back from Lanai around noon have not seemed windier than normal.
IMHO, the summer is the windiest time for Molokini/South Maui, because as Kihei/Wailea/Makena heats up a huge column of air rises and the trades get "sucked" over to fill the void.
Other than that; dive early then dive again if it's good
In the past when there were enough customers many of the Kihei small boat ramp Molokini boats would make a second trip to Molokini, but Gary said they have made very few this summer because of the stronger/earlier than normal winds.
Then a few days later when I was kayak diving the backside later than prudent, ProDiver was there with a second trip.
The good dive sites we dive regularly are on the leeward sides of the Island but there are really good dive sites on the windward side; we just don't do them except when the wind and waves are right; which is not very often.
This may mean the winds have been a little off their normal heading because even when small craft warnings are up my infrequent trips back from Lanai around noon have not seemed windier than normal.
IMHO, the summer is the windiest time for Molokini/South Maui, because as Kihei/Wailea/Makena heats up a huge column of air rises and the trades get "sucked" over to fill the void.
Other than that; dive early then dive again if it's good
Similar threads
Trip Report
Malpelo 2024
