Best time to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park: January, June, September and November. Daily highs run about 70–75°F, with about 85% of December's visitors.
How we picked these months: each month is scored on daily highs (65–82°F is ideal), rain, snow and seasonal closures, then reduced by up to 30% for crowds, measured against the park's busiest month. We list the months within 15% of the top score (at most 5).
Weather and crowds by month
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park month by month
Park-wide averages across 3 locations. Crowds compare each month with the park's busiest month: Quiet is under 35% of it, Moderate under 60%, Busy under 85%, Peak above that.
| Month | Rating | High / low | Rain | Crowds | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Best | 68° / 56°F | 3.5 in | Peak | – |
| February | Fair | 67° / 56°F | 7.1 in | Busy | – |
| March | Fair | 67° / 57°F | 7.4 in | Busy | – |
| April | Fair | 69° / 58°F | 6.3 in | Busy | – |
| May | Good | 70° / 59°F | 5.3 in | Busy | – |
| June | Best | 72° / 60°F | 4.6 in | Peak | – |
| July | Good | 74° / 62°F | 5.2 in | Peak | – |
| August | Fair | 74° / 62°F | 8.8 in | Peak | – |
| September | Best | 74° / 62°F | 5.2 in | Busy | – |
| October | Fair | 73° / 62°F | 7.0 in | Busy | – |
| November | Best | 71° / 60°F | 4.5 in | Peak | – |
| December | Fair | 68° / 58°F | 5.0 in | Peak | – |
Weather by location
Parks with a big range of elevation can differ a lot from one area to another. Open a location to see its own numbers.
Park-wide (center of the park)
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 66°F | 53°F | 3.7 in |
| February | 65°F | 54°F | 8.3 in |
| March | 66°F | 55°F | 8.0 in |
| April | 67°F | 55°F | 5.8 in |
| May | 69°F | 56°F | 3.9 in |
| June | 71°F | 57°F | 2.9 in |
| July | 74°F | 59°F | 3.3 in |
| August | 74°F | 60°F | 7.7 in |
| September | 72°F | 59°F | 3.6 in |
| October | 72°F | 59°F | 6.9 in |
| November | 70°F | 58°F | 3.8 in |
| December | 67°F | 55°F | 5.0 in |
Kīlauea Visitor Center Area
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 66°F | 54°F | 4.1 in |
| February | 64°F | 54°F | 8.1 in |
| March | 65°F | 55°F | 9.6 in |
| April | 66°F | 56°F | 6.2 in |
| May | 68°F | 57°F | 5.5 in |
| June | 70°F | 58°F | 3.5 in |
| July | 72°F | 60°F | 4.3 in |
| August | 72°F | 60°F | 8.7 in |
| September | 72°F | 60°F | 4.6 in |
| October | 71°F | 59°F | 6.3 in |
| November | 68°F | 58°F | 5.4 in |
| December | 66°F | 56°F | 5.5 in |
Kahuku Unit
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 71°F | 62°F | 2.6 in |
| February | 72°F | 62°F | 4.8 in |
| March | 72°F | 62°F | 4.5 in |
| April | 73°F | 63°F | 7.1 in |
| May | 73°F | 64°F | 6.6 in |
| June | 74°F | 65°F | 7.4 in |
| July | 77°F | 67°F | 7.9 in |
| August | 77°F | 67°F | 10.1 in |
| September | 77°F | 67°F | 7.3 in |
| October | 76°F | 67°F | 7.7 in |
| November | 75°F | 65°F | 4.4 in |
| December | 72°F | 63°F | 4.6 in |
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a good time to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Daily highs average 67–70°F and lows 57–59°F. Expect about 6.3 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 69–74% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a good time to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Daily highs average 72–74°F and lows 60–62°F. Expect about 6.2 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 92–96% of the busiest month, which is peak by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is a good time to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Daily highs average 71–74°F and lows 60–62°F. Expect about 5.6 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 78–86% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a good time to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Daily highs average 67–68°F and lows 56–58°F. Expect about 5.2 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 79–100% of the busiest month, which is peak by this park's standards.
For what to do in each season, see our guides to trip planning, fees and hours, trails, camping and things to do, where the planning page also has our written advice on when to go. In-depth topic guides cover individual places and hikes.
What the National Park Service says about the weather
The weather at Kīlauea's summit (4000' elevation) varies daily and may be rainy and chilly any time of the year. Temperature varies by elevation. At the summit of the volcano, temperatures may be 12 to 15 degrees cooler than at sea level. The coastal plain at the end of Chain of Craters Road, where lava crossed the road in 2003, is often hot, dry, and windy with the possibility of passing showers.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 3 locations. Modeled grid cells can read cooler than weather stations in deep canyons and deserts, and warmer or colder at high elevation. Visits: monthly recreation visits for 2021-2024, National Park Service.
