In December, the sun sets behind Waikiki with surfers still paddling out, and a few miles away a Christmas tree glows beside a palm in a shopping plaza. Out on the water off Maui, a humpback tail slaps the surface while a catamaran full of visitors goes quiet. The islands are warm, green and busy with winter travelers, and each coast has its own December: sunny and dry on the leeward side, wet and lush on the windward one.
What is the weather like in Hawaii in December?
December is warm everywhere along the coast, with sunny, dry leeward shores such as Kona and Honolulu and a much wetter windward side around Hilo and northern Kauai.
| Place | Region | Average high (°F) | Average low (°F) | Rain (in) | Rain days | Sea (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | Oahu, south shore | 81.8 | 69.2 | 2.18 | 3.2 | 78.1 |
| Maui | Maui | 83.3 | 65.9 | 2.80 | 4.2 | 78.1 |
| Kauai | Kauai | 79.1 | 68.6 | 4.64 | 6.9 | 78.5 |
| Kona | Big Island, leeward coast | 82.3 | 70.0 | 1.06 | 1.6 | 79.3 |
| Hilo | Big Island, windward coast | 78.8 | 65.7 | 12.07 | 16.2 | 78.4 |
The biggest contrast is between Kona and Hilo. Across the entire month, Kona receives a bit more than an inch of rain, with showers on no more than a day or two, which means beach days are the norm. Hilo gets more than twelve inches and rain on well over half the days, which feeds the waterfalls and the gardens but means you carry a rain jacket and plan around the clouds.
Honolulu and Maui sit in between, with mostly sunny days and a few short showers. Kauai is greener and wetter, especially on the north shore.
Come winter, northern fronts and Kona storms can shove the trade winds out of the way for days at a time, which means gray, muggy weather may settle in just about anywhere. Compared with November, the air is a few degrees cooler, and evenings feel a little fresher, though the sea is still warm enough for a swim in most places.
Where to go in Hawaii in December
Oahu: Honolulu, Waikiki and the North Shore
If you want city life, Oahu is the island for it, and December adds a festive touch, with holiday events, lights on the buildings downtown, and the Honolulu Marathon near the middle of the month. Most days Waikiki gets enough sun and dry weather for the beach, and in winter the south shore typically offers calmer water, but where you swim is up to the lifeguards and the beach signs.
The North Shore is the reason surfers come now. Big swells roll in on Waimea Bay, Pipeline and Sunset Beach, and watching from the sand is a show in itself. This is a place to stand and look, not to swim. Pearl Harbor and an early morning at Diamond Head fit the cooler mornings well.
Maui: Wailea, Kaanapali and Haleakala
Maui in December is the island for whales. The channel between Maui, Lanai and Molokai fills with humpbacks, and you can often spot them from the shore at Kaanapali and Wailea. The resort beaches on the dry side are sunny and pleasant, and winter evenings are cool enough for a light layer at dinner.
Two big outings tempt visitors. Both reward an early start and a patient mood.
Kauai and the Big Island
Kauai is the quiet, green island, and December makes it greener. Poipu on the south shore is the sunny choice, with beaches and a relaxed resort feel. The north side, including Princeville and Hanalei, gets more rain, and winter brings heavy surf to that shore, so keep beach plans there open. On a morning with clear skies, Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali cliffs look their absolute best.
The Big Island splits in two. Kona is the dry, sunny coast of coffee farms, snorkeling and sunsets, a dependable pick this month. Hilo is rainy, with waterfalls and a lively farmers market.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park fills the space between them, where the crater of Kilauea burns against the dark sky, and far above everything stands the tall summit of Mauna Kea. Give the park a full day, with a stop in Hilo or Kona on either end.
What to do in Hawaii in December
Whale watching
Humpback whales arrive from Alaska in the winter, and the season runs from November through May, with the busiest weeks from January through March. In December you are early in the season, so sightings are good but not yet at their peak. Maui remains the classic home base, though Oahu, Kauai and the Kona side of the Big Island also offer chances to see them.
Look for a blow of mist on the horizon, then a dark back or a tail. Boat tours and kayak outings are popular, and boats must keep a respectful gap from the animals, so a tour with a good naturalist is worth having. A pair of binoculars on a lookout does just as well.
Winter surf and the holiday season
North-facing shores see winter swells rise, and the North Shore of Oahu turns into a stage for the world’s top surfers. Even if you never touch a board, an afternoon at a lookout with shave ice in hand is a December ritual. Elsewhere the islands celebrate Christmas in their own way, with lights, Santa in an outrigger canoe and a Hawaiian twist on holiday songs.
Honolulu’s marathon draws runners from around the world early in the month, and the streets of Waikiki fill with cheering crowds. Many towns hold craft fairs and holiday markets, a good place for local coffee, macadamia nuts and handmade gifts.
Volcanoes, summits and landmarks
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island is the great December outing for anyone on that side. You drive the crater rim, walk through old lava tubes and ferns, and stay on for the glow after dark. On Maui, Haleakala brings the sunrise crowds, and on Oahu the walk up Diamond Head and the memorial at Pearl Harbor are easy half-day plans.
| Site | Admission |
|---|---|
| Haleakala National Park | $30 per private vehicle, $15 on foot or bicycle |
| Hawaii Volcanoes National Park | $30 per private vehicle, $15 on foot or bicycle |
| Pearl Harbor National Memorial | Free (parking $7 per day) |
| Diamond Head State Monument | $5 entry, $10 per vehicle for parking (non-residents) |
Is Hawaii busy in December?
Yes, the second half of December is one of the busiest stretches of the year, as the winter holidays bring families from the mainland.
Arrivals in December rank among the highest of the year, close to the peak of summer. Waikiki, the Maui resorts and Kona fill up first, and rooms and rental cars around Christmas and New Year’s are the hardest to find. The first two weeks of the month are calmer, with the same warm sea and fewer people on the sand.
Popular sights see more traffic. Haleakala sunrise slots, Diamond Head and the best whale boats go quickly, and the Road to Hana is slow when the day is busy. For quiet, look to Lanai and Molokai, with few hotels and almost no traffic, or to the less-visited stretches of Kauai and the Hawaii Island coast, where a lonely beach is still possible.
Since there is no car ferry, a rental car is a must on each island, so your smartest move between them is a short inter-island flight. Booking flights and cars early is the sensible approach for the holiday weeks.
What to pack for Hawaii in December
Pack for summer at the beach and a cool evening at altitude, with one layer of rain protection for the windward coasts. Swimwear and shorts cover you in Kona and Waikiki, but pack rain gear for Hilo, Hana and Kauai’s north shore. Summits and the volcano are a different climate altogether.
- A light rain jacket, especially for Hilo, Hana and Kauai’s north shore.
- A warm fleece or sweatshirt for Haleakala at dawn and for the volcano park after dark.
- Swimsuits and reef-friendly sunscreen for the beach.
- Sturdy sandals or water shoes, plus closed shoes for the Diamond Head trail and lava fields.
- Binoculars for spotting whales from the shore.
- A light layer for breezy evenings on the water.
Good to know before you go
The Central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so December falls outside the official hurricane season. Winter has its own moods, though, with northern fronts and Kona storms that can bring a few days of heavy, gray weather and large surf on north-facing shores.
Obey the lifeguards’ flags and the beach signs before getting in the water. Because Hawaii is part of the United States, no passport or visa is required.
Is December a good time to visit Hawaii?
Yes, December is a very good time for warm weather, whales and festive energy, and the leeward coasts of Kona, Maui and Oahu are the safest bet for sun.
Compared with November, the days are slightly cooler and a little shorter, and the crowds build as Christmas approaches. In Hilo, rain is still frequent, though a bit less than in November. January is a touch cooler again, with the whales at their peak and the surf still big on the north shores. The sea stays in the upper 70s all the way through, so swimming remains pleasant.
If you want quiet, go in the first half of the month, base yourself on a dry coast and keep a rainy-day plan for the windward side. If you want atmosphere, the holiday weeks bring lights, music and a lively mood in every town.
What makes December special is the mix: humpbacks arriving, giant waves rolling onto the North Shore, a marathon in Honolulu and palm trees strung with Christmas lights, all under a warm sun. December is a time that finds the islands at once celebratory and untamed.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USW00022521, checked September 8, 2026
- Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked September 8, 2026
- sunrise-sunset.org, sunrise and sunset calculated for the 15th of the month, checked September 8, 2026
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USW00022516, checked September 8, 2026
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USW00022536, checked September 8, 2026
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USW00021510, checked September 8, 2026
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USW00021504, checked September 8, 2026
- NWS Honolulu (HFO), « Climate of Hawaii » summary, weather.gov/hfo/climate_summary, checked September 24, 2026
- NWS Honolulu / Central Pacific Hurricane Center, « 2026 Central Pacific Hurricane Season Outlook », weather.gov/hfo/hurricaneOutlook2026, checked September 24, 2026
- Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (NOAA), pages « Boating Guide » and « About the Sanctuary », hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov, checked September 24, 2026
- Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS (NOAA), « Boating Guide », checked September 24, 2026
- National Park Service, Haleakala « Fees & Passes », nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/fees.htm, checked September 24, 2026
- National Park Service, Hawaii Volcanoes « Fees & Passes », nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/fees.htm, checked September 24, 2026
- National Park Service, Pearl Harbor « Fees & Passes », nps.gov/perl/planyourvisit/fees.htm, checked September 24, 2026
- Hawaii DLNR Division of State Parks, « Diamond Head State Monument », dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp, checked September 24, 2026
- DBEDT, press releases monthly July (blog/25-34), September (blog/25-42) and December 2025 (blog/26-04), checked September 24, 2026
To plan your stay
- Things to Do in Hawaii: Volcano Sunrises, Snorkeling Bays, Pearl Harbor and What to Eat
- Where to Stay in Hawaii: Choosing an Island, Oahu to Kauai Bases and the Hotel Tax
- Getting Around Hawaii: Interisland Flights, TheBus and Skyline, Rental Cars and Taxi Fares
- Know Before You Go to Hawaii: Agriculture Form, Sunscreen Law, Reservations and Taxes