Mililani Climate
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8/23/2008
The climate of Mililani is more temperate than the warmer, drier conditions typically found in urban Honolulu, due primarily to Mililani's higher elevation -- from 700 to 1050 feet above sea level.
Summer highs are generally in the low to mid 80s while overnight lows cool to the upper 60s and low 70s. Wintertime highs are most often in the mid 70s to low 80s with nighttime lows mostly in the 60s, occasionally dipping into the upper 50s. The moderate temperatures and dominating trade winds allow one to live quite comfortably with just ceiling fans, saving considerably on expensive air conditioning.
During the 11 years we have been living here we have averaged about 60 inches of rain per year in Mililani Mauka -- Mililani Town would likely receive a bit less. The winter months are by far the wettest while August and September are the driest. Rainfall is generally consistent enough to sustain a lawn but irrigation may be needed during a few, brief periods during drier years. The irrigation system we installed when we bought the house was handy when the lawn was first planted but it has since fallen into disrepair from lack of use. With a little planning the landscaping can survive naturally, saving both your time and the island's water supply.
Even with the frequent showers that move off the Koolau mountains there is abundant sunshine. This is a great place for solar water heating and photovoltaic electricity generation. Solar water heating is a no-brainer from a financial point-of-view; photovoltaic, not so much. Since installing a 3 kW photovoltaic system in January we have produced 80 percent of the electricity we use. That percentage will drop come winter but because the island depends primarily on oil for its electricity generation, the initial 15 year break-even point for the solar system might be realized in just 10 years.
Humidity -- yeah, we have it. After all, we are an island in the middle of the Pacific. But the moderate temperatures and persistent trade winds make the humidity strictly relative.
Chuck | Mililani Town, HI