Climate & Weather in Hilo
Hilo has a real, genuinely tropical, extremely wet climate -- among the rainiest cities in the entire United States -- with warm, humid, year-round temperatures and periodic volcanic vog.
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Learn moreAmong the wettest cities in the US
Hilo is cited at roughly 126-130 inches of annual rainfall across sources reviewed -- a real, defining climate fact distinct from the drier Kona/Kohala side of the island.
Warm, humid, tropical temperatures year-round
No winter in the mainland sense; warm, humid conditions persist year-round, consistent with Hawaii's statewide climate.
Periodic volcanic vog
Hilo's east-side proximity to Kilauea brings real, periodic vog (volcanic smog/haze) exposure, a genuine, disclosed air-quality consideration distinct from a direct lava-flow hazard to the town's core.
Key takeaways
- Hilo is among the rainiest cities in the entire United States.
- Warm, humid, tropical temperatures persist year-round with no mainland-style winter.
- Real, periodic vog exposure is a genuine, disclosed consequence of proximity to Kilauea.
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