{"id":7314,"date":"2025-07-10T00:54:53","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T00:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/?page_id=7314"},"modified":"2025-07-30T23:02:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T23:02:16","slug":"climate-glossary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/climate-glossary\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Glossary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n
\"\"
Overlooking Kailua, O’ahu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Sky<\/strong> lani<\/mark><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In ‘\u014clelo Hawai’i, p\u0101uli<\/strong><\/em> means dark skies. K\u0101naka Maoli believed p\u0101uli would forecast high surf. Darkness to the west suggests a migratory low and cold front heading for the islands, which indeed generates higher surf for north and west shores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dark and completely overcast sky without wind, po’ipu<\/em><\/strong>, signified that Kulanihako’i, the source of thunder, lightening and other severe weather, was present. La<\/strong><\/em>, sun, mahina<\/strong><\/em>, moon, and hoku<\/strong><\/em>, star, are the astronomical bodies in the sky.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Rain<\/strong> Ua<\/mark><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ua<\/em><\/strong> is the generic term for rainfall among many other terms for precipitation. For example, ‘awa<\/strong> <\/em>refers to a cold mountain fog or mist, Ua ho’okina<\/em><\/strong> is a continuous rain, ua lanipili<\/em><\/strong> is a torrential rain, and kualau<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>is rain over the ocean. There are also terms for rain in specific locations such as kuahine<\/em><\/strong>, mist in M\u0101noa, and ua lani ha’aha’a<\/em><\/strong>, rainfall in Hana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K\u0101naka Maoli judged the duration of rainfall by the accompanying weather: long rain, ualoa<\/strong><\/em>, fell with very little wind, but if thunder, lightening, or even a rainbow were present, the rains would be uapoko<\/strong><\/em>, short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A red sunset, aka’ula<\/strong>,<\/em> would foretell the cessation of rainfall, and uahea<\/strong><\/em> refers to a cold rain with the possibility of hau<\/strong><\/em>, ice and snow at high elevations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Passing shower in ‘Aiea, O’ahu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"
Rainbow over Ko’olau Mountain Range on O’ahu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Rainbow<\/strong> \u0100nuenue<\/mark><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hawai’i’s trade winds, mountainous terrain, and exceptionally clean air make for the perfect conditions for rainbows. Spotting a rainbow is associated with good fortune.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Wind<\/strong> Makani<\/mark><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though makani <\/em><\/strong>is the general term for wind, there are other words for different kinds of wind. Variable winds are makani polua<\/strong><\/em>, fair winds are ‘olu’olu<\/strong><\/em> and strong north winds are Ho’olua<\/strong><\/em>. Trade winds have many names such as Moa’e<\/strong>, A’e<\/strong>, A’e Loa<\/strong>, Moa’e Lehua<\/strong><\/em> and Mao’e Pehu<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some local wind names include: ‘Alahonua<\/strong><\/em> (Hilo), Apa’apa’a<\/strong><\/em> (Kohala), Alahou<\/strong><\/em> (Moloka’i), Kaua’ula<\/strong><\/em> (Lahaina), and ‘Ahiu<\/strong><\/em> (Kahana).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Moonbeams shining through windy palm trees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"
Waterfall in Nu’uanu, O’ahu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Water<\/span><\/strong> Wai\/Kai<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wai<\/strong><\/em> means fresh water and often refers to a stream. Ala<\/strong> <\/em>refers to a path or road, thus alawai<\/strong> <\/em>means water path or canal. Puna<\/strong><\/em> means a fresh water spring. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kai<\/strong><\/em> is the term for seawater and also the near sea. Moana<\/strong><\/em> refers to the far sea, beyond the horizon, kai holoa<\/strong><\/em> refers to a lagoon, and a wave or surf is nalu<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Land<\/strong> ‘Aina<\/mark><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Aina<\/em> <\/strong>refers to the land or earth. Hawaiians divided the land into districts called ahupua’a<\/strong><\/em>, which formed a thin wedge of land running from the ocean to the interior mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this way, each district controlled a wide range of resources from the uka<\/strong><\/em>, mountains, where bird feathers and canoe trees were collected, through the lowland, kula<\/strong><\/em>, fields, where agriculture was concentrated, to the kai<\/strong><\/em> where marine resources were gathered. Ahupua’a<\/strong> <\/em>were grouped into larger districts called moku<\/strong><\/em>, which also refers to individual islands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
One of many peaks of Ko’olau Mountain Range on O’ahu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"
N\u0101 Pali Coast on Kaua’i<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Landforms<\/strong><\/mark><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hawaiian words for landforms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

lua<\/strong><\/em>, pit or crater, lua pele<\/strong><\/em>, volcano or crater, mauna<\/strong>, mountain, kahakai<\/em><\/strong>, beach, lae<\/strong><\/em>, cape or promontory, pu’u<\/strong><\/em>, hill or peak, pali<\/strong><\/em>, cliff, awawa<\/strong><\/em>, valley, pohaku<\/strong><\/em>, rock or stone, pahoehoe<\/strong><\/em>, smooth lava, and a’a<\/em><\/strong>, rough lava.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Directions<\/mark><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visible sea is kai<\/strong><\/em> and makai<\/strong><\/em> means toward the sea. Mountains are mauna<\/em><\/strong> and mauka<\/strong><\/em> means toward the mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cardinal directions are recognized as:  ‘akau<\/em><\/strong>, hema<\/em><\/strong>, hikina<\/em><\/strong>, komohana<\/em><\/strong> for North, South, East, West resepctively.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Ko’olau Mountain Range on O’ahu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"
Overlooking Huilua Fishpond on O’ahu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Place Names<\/mark><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many place and street names in Hawai’i include references to natural features, and generally include two or more Hawaiian words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the dormant volcano on Hawai’i island, Mauna Kea<\/em><\/strong>, gets its name from Mauna<\/em><\/strong> meaning mountain and Kea<\/em><\/strong> meaning white. This refers to its frequent winter snow cap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town of Pukalani<\/em><\/strong>, hole in the sky, on the leeward slopes of Hakeakala sits where a large wind eddy creates a frequent clear opening in the clouds, and Wai’ale’ale<\/strong><\/em> on Kauai, one of the world’s wettest spots, means overflowing water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most common adjectives are ka<\/em><\/strong>, the, loa<\/strong><\/em>, long, nui<\/strong><\/em>, large, iki<\/em><\/strong>, small, and ‘ula<\/strong><\/em>, red. Some common prefixes, hana<\/strong><\/em> and hono<\/strong><\/em> refer to bays.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Cloud <\/span><\/strong>Ao<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The basic word for cloud is ao<\/strong><\/em>, but there are many cloud descriptions. These other terms got their names from their physical characteristics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the scattered, cotton-puff trade wind cumulus clouds are called aopua’a<\/strong><\/em>. Pua’a<\/strong><\/em> means pig, and thus a row of cumulus clouds reminded Hawaiians of a mother pig with a train of piglets following her. A bank of these puffy clouds is called ‘opua<\/strong><\/em>. Another formation is aopehupehu<\/strong><\/em>, with pehu<\/strong><\/em> meaning to swell up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clouds are also named after colors, with ‘ele’ele<\/strong><\/em> referring to a black cloud and ke’oke’o<\/em><\/strong> to a white cloud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sheltering cloud is called ho’omalumalu<\/strong><\/em> and a threatening cloud, ho’oweliweli<\/em><\/strong>. Please refer to the Hawaiian Cloud Chart below for other cloud name translations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Cumulus cloud in L\u0101’ie, O’ahu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Piianaia, Abe (1993) Early Hawaiian Concepts of Weather and Climate, in Prevailing Trade Winds<\/em>, Marie Sanderson, Ed., pages 7-11, Â鶹´«Ã½Press, Honolulu, HI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pukui, M.K., and Elbert, S.H. (1992) New Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary<\/em>, Â鶹´«Ã½Press, Honolulu, HI, 256 pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juvik, S.P., and Juvik, J.O., eds. (1998) Atlas of Hawaii, 3rd Ed., Â鶹´«Ã½Press, Honolulu, HI, 333 pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Businger, S., & Shigesato, G. (n.d.). Hawaiian Cloud Chart<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos by Sophia Woofter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sky lani In ‘\u014clelo Hawai’i, p\u0101uli means dark skies. K\u0101naka Maoli believed p\u0101uli would forecast high surf. Darkness to the west suggests a migratory low and cold front heading for …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullwidth.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7314"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7314"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7854,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7314\/revisions\/7854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/climate-data-portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}