Photo: Ivtorov · CC BY-SA 4.0Hardly any U.S. towns see softer January nights than Captain Cook
July afternoons average 77°. Precipitation peaks in September and eases off in February. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns. From January to December, highs of 74–78° make it easy to spend the day outdoors.
A year in Captain Cook at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Captain Cook’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Captain Cook’s place in Hawaii beside it.
What a year in Captain Cook feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Frost dates and degree days from Opihihale #2 24.1, HI, 16 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Captain Cook’s center in zone 12a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 51°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
About 36 inches of rain a year
September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 135 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Lanihau 68.2, HI, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Captain Cook
5% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. No month averages under 55°.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Opihihale #2 24.1, HI.
Living with Captain Cook’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 12a. Frost almost never comes, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. 8.4 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Captain Cook from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (57%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Captain Cook and its neighbors
Kealakekua the hottest July afternoons (86°, 10° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Captain Cook’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain Cook, HI | 57° | 77° | 36" | 0.0" |
| Fairfax, CA | 41° | 76° | 38" | 0.0" |
| Seattle, WA | 37° | 77° | 38" | 3.8" |
| Tualatin, OR | 36° | 81° | 40" | 1.0" |
| Islamorada, Village of Islands, FL | 64° | 89° | 45" | 0.0" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
How Captain Cook compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Captain Cook’s place among Hawaii’s.
Captain Cook weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from the nearest NOAA station; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Lanihau 68.2, HI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 74° | 57° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 |
| February | 74° | 57° | 2.1" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 |
| March | 74° | 58° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 |
| April | 74° | 60° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 |
| May | 75° | 61° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 |
| June | 75° | 63° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 19 | 0 |
| July | 77° | 64° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 |
| August | 78° | 64° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 |
| September | 77° | 63° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 |
| October | 77° | 62° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 |
| November | 76° | 61° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 |
| December | 75° | 58° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 |
| Year | 76° | 61° | 36.1" | 0.0" | 135 | 0 |
Where Captain Cook’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station (NOAA’s grid doesn’t cover Hawaii).
- Snow: Lanihau 68.2, HI.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Opihihale #2 24.1, HI, 16 miles away.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Captain Cook’s climate
What is the weather like in Captain Cook?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 57°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than all but 162 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Captain Cook in winter?
February nights average 57°. A night at 32° or below comes in only some winters (0.0 a year on average).
How much snow does Captain Cook get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Lanihau 68.2, HI, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Captain Cook?
July, with a typical high of 77°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Opihihale #2 24.1, HI.
When is the first and last frost in Captain Cook?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 0% of winters at Opihihale #2 24.1, HI, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Captain Cook in?
Zone 12a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 51°.
What is the best time of year to visit Captain Cook?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Captain Cook.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.