Hawaii Has a Ton of Climatic Zones

Not that you would want to, but if you did want to enter into a world of confusion, just bring up the concept of climatic zones in Hawaii. As you are well aware, the planet has a multitude of different climates. There are hot, dry arid desert like climates like in Death Valley. There are wet and humid jungle like climates like on the Amazon. There are also polar regions which have vast areas of ice like the North Pole. In between these extremes are various gradations of climates that slice and dice and parse the various regions.

It is often stated by various sources ranging from taxi and tour drivers to shop owners, barbers, college professors and all points in between that the state of Hawaii has (and here is where the confusion begins) 10 of the worlds 14 climatic zones, 8 of the worlds 12 climactic zones, 4 of the worlds 5 climatic zones, 11 of the worlds 13 climatic zones and etc. ad infinitum. The fact is that all of these statements could be true or not be true based upon the classification system used to describe these zones. The one most often referenced is the Koppen Climate Classification System but even that one has undergone some changes and adjustments over the course of time.

Suffice it to say that the concept is real and in fact it is amazing. This small grouping of islands, being the most remote group of islands to be found anywhere in the world does have the highest percentage of climactic zones of any place to be found on the planet. And if that was not amazing enough, the same thing could be said of just the one island in the Hawaiian chain known as the Big Island. If you want to get cold or hot, find desert conditions or snow, permafrost or piping hot sand, this is the place to go. You will find incredible diversity in its 4000 plus square miles and you can travel to any one of these regions and back to your hotel within the course of a single day.