For beach goers, the water temperature in the near-shore waters varies from summer highs of approximately 80 degrees, to a low of about 73 degrees during the coolest winter months. Like all of the islands, Kauai can have large waves in the winter-time. Usually these pounding breakers do not impact beaches at the resort locations, but they do make for wonderful viewing. Strong winter currents can make a beach unsafe, so ask at your hotel and watch for warning flags and posted beach conditions. With Kauai's more than 50 miles of beaches, there's always more than one great spot for you to enjoy the water.

Kauai has mountain and highland regions where the weather can be very different from the coastal areas. Visitors will find there is a 3.5 degree drop in temperature for every thousand foot rise above sea level. So if you're planning to drive up to Kokee, you will want to bring a jacket and sweatpants, because the temperatures will be 10-12 degrees cooler than at sea level locations....especially in the winter months.

Rainfall on Kauai varies both with the seasons, and as a result of the trade winds, which produce differences in weather between the northern and eastern coasts (windward side) verses southern and western coasts (leeward side). Summer months tend to be mostly sunny to partly cloudy on both coasts, while the winter months of November to March bring an increase of clouds and periodic rainshowers. Even during the wetter winter months, precipitation tends to come in brief spells, and there are relatively few periods of prolonged rain.

Because of the northeastly trade winds, the protected southwest coast tends to receive much less rain than do northern and eastern areas of the island. Most of the heavy rain that does fall however, occurs in the higher mountain elevations, above the resort areas. Another moderating factor is that the rains fall typically during the night and early morning hours...leaving much of the daylight hours available for outdoor activities.