Washington Place · Photo: CaesarGJ · Public domainFew U.S. towns get more rain and snow than Urban Honolulu: 151 inches a year
Sunny July days climb to about 79°. In January, nights here are milder than in almost every U.S. town. The seasons sit close together: from a winter night to a summer afternoon the average spans only 18°. The outdoor season runs from January to December, with highs of 76–81°.
A year in Urban Honolulu at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Urban Honolulu’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Urban Honolulu’s place in Hawaii beside it.
What a year in Urban Honolulu feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Honolulu International Airport, 5 miles from the city’s center point, 160 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Urban Honolulu’s center in zone 12b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 57°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 151 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 173 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Punchbowl Crater 709, HI, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Urban Honolulu
0% 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 Honolulu International Airport.
Living with Urban Honolulu’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 12b. 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. 106 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Urban Honolulu from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (57%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Urban Honolulu and its neighbors
Hickam Housing the hottest July afternoons (88°, 9° 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 Urban Honolulu’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 63° | 79° | 151" | 0.0" |
| Ketchikan, AK | 32° | 65° | 150" | 35" |
| Tillamook, OR | 38° | 71° | 87" | 0.2" |
| Hoquiam, WA | 37° | 68° | 81" | 0.5" |
| Pascagoula, MS | 43° | 89° | 66" | 0.1" |
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 Urban Honolulu compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Urban Honolulu’s place among Hawaii’s.
Urban Honolulu weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from the nearest NOAA station; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Punchbowl Crater 709, HI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 76° | 63° | 10.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 |
| February | 76° | 63° | 9.1" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 |
| March | 76° | 64° | 13.7" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 |
| April | 76° | 65° | 12.9" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 |
| May | 78° | 67° | 9.3" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 |
| June | 78° | 68° | 12.9" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 |
| July | 79° | 70° | 15.4" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 |
| August | 80° | 70° | 12.7" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 |
| September | 81° | 70° | 12.2" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 |
| October | 80° | 69° | 12.9" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 |
| November | 78° | 68° | 15.1" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 |
| December | 76° | 65° | 14.2" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 |
| Year | 78° | 67° | 151.0" | 0.0" | 173 | 0 |
Where Urban Honolulu’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: Punchbowl Crater 709, HI (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Honolulu International Airport, 5 miles from the city’s center point, 160 ft lower; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- 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 Urban Honolulu’s climate
What is the weather like in Urban Honolulu?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 63°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than all but 69 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 95% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Urban Honolulu in winter?
January nights average 63°. A night at 32° or below comes in only some winters (0.0 a year on average).
How much snow does Urban Honolulu get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Punchbowl Crater 709, HI, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Urban Honolulu?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 70°. About 32 days a year reach 90° (Honolulu International Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Urban Honolulu?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 0% of winters at Honolulu International Airport, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Urban Honolulu in?
Zone 12b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 57°.
What is the best time of year to visit Urban Honolulu?
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 Urban Honolulu.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.