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Hi Everyone! I am interested in the weather. Everywhere I read it is hot or steamy but sunnier at the low elevations and cool at the higher elevations. Could you put some numbers with that? Describe a typical day "I live at xxxx feet elevation,when I wake up it is xx derees then it gets up to xx, it rains in the morning but there usually are x hrs of sun" How hot does it get in the hottest part of puna? This will give me a good idea of how high or low i want to be.
Also, I see ads about deep soil but also see places with almost no soil growing many fruit trees etc. How do you grow on shallow soil, dig in with an auger? are there things you can't grow? Thanks for your input!!
ps. We will be over there mar 25th (for a week)and are very excited!! Kama
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Can't say too much about weather in all areas, but wife and I were in Hilo Jan 2005 and we were told and read 'Oh it rains all the time', it didn't. The temp was between 70-80 and cool & breezy..Made the mistake of only taking jeans, so we were quite hot.Would advise you take shorts and thin tops.We bought a lovely house in Hawaiian Paradise Park,great landscaping in older house. All the new homes seemed to have no grass just horrible looking gravel. We did check out some new houses in 'Lelani esates',some beautiful homes there but very sticky heat, with nasty Mosquitoes, ouch. NOTE: 3 new houses we viewed had thick mold growing on doors and cuboards.'HPP' rocks in my opinion.
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It IS all about elevation. In general, under 800 ft elevation is hot and humid. Summers you suffer and sweat. From around 1000 to 1800 feet is better. The trade winds don't hit the land until 800 to 1000 feet. That pully off the humidity in the stand still air of below 1000. Some feel this elevation set is ideal. In most areas it is warm with morning and/or afternoon showers at this elevation. Cool is a relative term. It's not about temperature but about air flow and movement.
Over 1500 feet to about 2500 feet is slightly cooler; maybe 5 degrees. Humidity is absent most days because of the good breezes. Showers are more frequent. Although for the last week it has been almost like a drought in the Mt. View area (for example) we usually have heavy ranis at night and sometimes in the day but we see sun nearly every day. The stories I had heard about gloom have not been fulfilled so far; I have been here since October.
Over 2500 feet... say 3000 to 4000 you get the same basic day weather but nights have temp drops and most people up in Mt. View tell me they need a fireplace or wood stove in winter. Again, days run the same as everywhere but nights drop maybe 10 or 15 degrees lower. So what does this all mean? It means I am trying to be helpful but have limited experience. In my humble experience and in talking with new neighbors it goes something like this:
sealevel to 800 ft: sticky, stagnant humid air; temps run around 80 - 90
800 to 1500 ft: good air movement, temps run 70 to 80, morning and afternoon showers and frequent night rains. Night temps down to 65 or so
1500 to 2500 ft: same as above but nights temps drop to 60's maybe and in winter as low as mid 50's.
ove3r 3000 ft: day temps hang around 75 to 80 except on a rainy day may drop to 60's. Nights as low as low 50's with more rain. Days drizly often but sunny days especially at mid day.
Hope this is helpful. You will get conflicting answers and none are wrong. This is for the Hilo to Volcano area. Every area of the island is a microclimate. You have to go there hang out and see if it fits you!
Good Luck. Pam
May you live in interesting times.
I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says
"Oh Crap, She's up!"
I live in Fern Acres in Mountainview. Yes past few weeks lots of sun. My water tank is hlf empty. When ground is moist I do experience mosquitos. Not as bad as otherplaces. It usually does rain at night. Mornings can be very cool as you wake up. I find myself with sweatshirt on. Summer is from my limited experience very hot. Good elevation here. My brother now lives with me and prior to past two weeks it was rain rain rain rain! It got him depressed. Tyhen sun came for 2 weeks! It really varies. Im still trying to figure it all out!
frank battaglia
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I think that gives me a good idea of what to expect. Sounds pretty nice to me. I appreciate your time! When I get back from our trip I will write a "trip report" for other who might be thinking of visiting/moving. Kama
