Visiting Maui During a Storm? Genuinely Helpful Advice From a Local
If you have a trip to Maui coming up and there’s a hurricane, tropical storm or just a lot of heavy rain in the forecast, it can be really hard to know what to do.
You’ll probably see everything from “cancel your trip immediately” to “come, it’s beautiful and sunny here!” sometimes on the exact same Facebook post.
As someone who lives on Maui, I just wanted to put together some genuinely helpful advice for visitors who are trying to make a sensible decision and stay safe while they’re here.
1. Don’t base your decision on random Facebook comments
This is probably my biggest piece of advice.
I see this all the time in Maui Facebook groups. Someone will post asking if they should cancel or postpone their trip because of an approaching storm and within minutes there will be completely conflicting advice.
One person will say absolutely don’t come, while someone else will say the weather is beautiful and they should definitely still come.
The issue is you really don’t know who is giving you that advice or what their motivation is. Someone may own a tourism-related business and obviously doesn’t want people cancelling trips. Someone else might just generally not like tourists visiting. And some people are simply judging the weather based on what it looks like outside their own house.
That last one is especially important on Maui because the weather can be completely different depending on what part of the island you’re on. It can be absolutely pouring in Haʻikū while people are sitting around the pool in Wailea.
If you are going to use Facebook as a tool, I would personally recommend following Maui 24/7 and Maui Now for local updates rather than making a big travel decision based on comments from strangers.
I would also pay attention to Maui County and National Weather Service updates.
2. If you are being advised to stay out of the ocean, listen
This is one I would take seriously.
If there are warnings telling people to stay out of the ocean, especially during or right after heavy rainfall, I really would listen to them.
Heavy rain creates runoff, debris and poor water quality. Storms can also cause strong currents, large surf and dangerous conditions that might not be obvious when you’re standing on the beach looking at the water.
If beaches are closed, locals are avoiding the ocean or officials are advising people not to go in, I would take that advice.
The ocean will still be there when conditions improve.
3. Make a Costco run before the weather gets bad
If you have a Costco membership and you have enough notice, I would honestly make a quick Costco run and grab some basics.
There is no need to panic-buy or go crazy. I just think it’s smart to have enough food and supplies that you don’t have to leave your hotel, condo or vacation rental if the weather gets bad.
I would grab things like:
Bottled water
Easy meals and snacks
Diapers, wipes and formula if you’re traveling with keiki
Any medications or essentials you might run out of
A flashlight if your accommodation doesn’t already have one
Portable chargers or battery packs
Maui is an island and stores can get very busy when a storm is approaching. Certain things also sell out quickly, so it’s much nicer to get what you need beforehand.
4. Take flash flooding seriously
One of the biggest concerns with heavy rain on Maui isn’t always the wind. It can be the amount of water coming down in a short period of time.
Some areas can flood really quickly, especially around streams, low-lying roads and areas where water comes down from the mountains.
Do not drive through flooded or moving water. You have no idea how deep it is or what has happened to the road underneath it.
I would also pay attention to where you’re parking your rental car if you know a lot of rain is coming. Avoid low spots or areas that look like they could collect water.
5. Don’t assume the weather is the same across the entire island
Maui has so many different microclimates.
You can have completely different weather in Wailea, Kāʻanapali, Upcountry, Hāna and Haʻikū on the exact same day.
So if your weather app is showing a rain icon for your entire vacation, that does not necessarily mean you’re going to sit inside watching it pour for seven days straight.
At the same time, if it’s beautiful and sunny outside your hotel, that also doesn’t mean warnings in other parts of the island should be ignored.
Always look at what area the warnings actually apply to.
6. Be careful with the Road to Hāna during heavy rain
If there is a major storm or a lot of heavy rainfall, I probably wouldn’t choose that day to insist on doing the Road to Hāna.
Heavy rain can mean flooding, landslides, fallen trees, debris and really quickly changing road conditions. There are also areas with limited cell service, so it isn’t somewhere I would want to be stuck during severe weather.
Check current road conditions before heading out and don’t force an itinerary just because you had something planned.
There will always be another day to see Hāna.
7. Charge everything
Before the worst of the weather arrives, charge your phones, portable chargers, tablets, laptops and anything else you might need.
If you have kids, charge their devices too because if the power goes out you will be very grateful you did!
Power outages don’t always happen, but they definitely can during bad weather, especially in more rural parts of Maui.
I would also download anything you might want offline beforehand.
8. Ask your hotel or vacation rental host what their plan is
This is probably one of the easiest and most helpful things you can do.
Ask where the flashlights are, if the property has backup power, what happens if the electricity goes out and whether there is anything specific you should know about the area you’re staying in.
Your hotel or host is also going to know their immediate area much better than someone commenting on Facebook from the other side of the island.
9. Don’t go exploring storm damage
After a big storm, waterfalls can be raging, streams are full and everything can look amazing.
That does not necessarily mean it is safe to go exploring.
Trails can be unstable, streams can rise quickly, roads can be damaged and ocean conditions can stay rough even after the weather starts clearing up.
I would give things a little time to settle rather than rushing out to see what the storm did.
10. Lastly, don’t panic. Just pay attention.
Seeing a hurricane or tropical storm on the forecast does not automatically mean your Maui vacation is ruined.
Storms change direction. Forecasts change. And different parts of Maui can experience completely different weather.
There is a huge difference between being prepared and panicking.
Pay attention to reliable local and official information, have enough supplies to comfortably stay put if you need to, listen when officials issue warnings and don’t take unnecessary risks with the ocean, flooding or road conditions.
More than anything, make your decisions based on the actual conditions and official guidance, not whichever person happens to be the loudest in a Facebook comment section.
A little preparation and common sense can go a very long way.
