What time of year is the best time to go to Hawaii to catch the best weather there?

I want to visit the islands, but don't want to experience too much of the endless heat and sun, so I'm looking for the best weather, and ideally no expensive fares. Ideally we want cloudy skies (probably a rarity there, unfortunately), relatively cool temperatures, and maybe some nice breezes from the ocean - generally pleasant weather. Thanks!

The weather doesn't change much throughout the year. There are times of the year that are more susceptible to hurricanes (June through November is hurricane season, with the greatest likelihood being August through October). And, during the winter, there are large ocean swells that come in from the north. The water can be a bit cooler this time of year, to where you would do well to wear at least a partial wetsuit for snorkeling. The swells combined with stronger trade winds (constant prevailing winds out of the east) can make for rough traveling on the water. But, the advantage of going to Hawaii in the winter (december through April, generally) is that's when the humpback whales return to their breeding grounds in the Hawaiian waters.

And, ironically, it's during the time when the ocean is rougher due to wind and swells that the whales are the most active. For some reason, the constant activity of the wind and waves on the surface attracts the whales more and they tend to do things like breaching more often. Last time I was in Maui was in February and I went on a snorkel trip to Lanai, across the channel from west Maui. It was 30 knot winds and 6 foot seas. It was so rough, we couldn't snorkel off of Lanai. But, the whale activity was incredible. At one point, we had a female slapping the water with her fin about 50 feet away from the boat. This drew three males to her, who began breaching out of the water to impress her within about 100 feet of our boat.

Regarding cost, it's generally less expensive to fly there when people aren't usually going to be there. The most expensive time is during holidays and traditional travel periods (even in summer). Late fall, and late winter to mid spring are probably the best times to go.

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