Getting up at 3:30 in the morning to make the 2 hour drive to the top of Mount Haleakala in Maui is something most people talk about doing but very few actually do. It’s a long drive, it’s very cold and it’s windy at the summit… The truth is this is my third time on the island and every time I’ve said the same thing, “I’m going to watch the sunrise at Haleakala”. This time I made it happen.
The weather at the summit area of the park is greatly influenced by the high altitude. Cool temperatures, intense solar radiation, and rapidly moving clouds are characteristic. On average. The temperature drops about 3°F for 1,000 foot rise in elevation, making the 10,023 foot summit of Haleakala about 30°F cooler than the coast. Year-round summit temperatures range between below freezing to highs of 50°-65°F. The outside temperatures can feel much colder because of wind chill ad damp, overcast conditions.
Get more information on visiting Haleakala National Park here.