Geography & Climate

Geography

All the Hawaiian Islands were formed from the action of the volcanoes
Volcanic Rock that arose from the bottom of the sea, from a source of magma
Molten Lava that in geology is called hot points.  This theory maintains that the tectonic plate under the Pacific Ocean moves in the Northwest direction, for which the hot point is maintained stationary, creating, little by little, new volcanoes.  For that reason, only the volcanoes in the south half of the Big Island
Liliuokalani Gardens remain active nowadays. 

The oldest islands possess inactive volcanoes, the newest, volcanoes still in activity.  In the top of one of those inactive volcanoes, Mauna Kea is found one of the greater concentrations of telescopes in the world.  The island of Hawaii has five volcanoes, and one of them is one of the most active in the world, Kilauea
Kilauea . 

The archipelago of Hawaii is composed of eighteen islands and atolls, which extend along 2,400 km.  Eight of them are considered the “main islands” situated in the southeast extreme of the archipelago.  This denomination is, by order from the northwest to the southeast: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui
Road to Hana , and the Island of Hawaii.  The last one is of great size for which it calls itself the "Big Island".  The utilization of this alternative name often responds to the need to avoid the ambiguity that exists among "Hawaii" being referred to the entire state (the assembly of the islands), set against that island in concrete. 

Climate

The climate of Hawaii is typical for a tropical zone, for which is used to considering more sub tropic than would be able to be thought for the latitude, due to the moderating action that exercises the ocean that surrounds it.  The temperatures and the humidity tend to be less extreme, with some maximum temperatures in summer that rarely graze past 33°C and that in winter do not descend beyond 18ºC.  The shape of snow, even though it is not usually associated with tropical climates, affects very high zones on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in the Big Island, during some months of the winter.  In rare occasions it has snowed in Maui.  Mount Waialeale in the island of Kauai emphasizes the rains that it receives, the second highest figure of the world.  In 2003, the hurricane Jimena affected the islands during the Season of Hurricanes in the Pacific, 2003; something that is not common in Hawaii. 

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