Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Searching for wonders: Hawaii - Rainbow capital of the world?

06:00
6 February 2023

Searching for wonders
Hawaii: Rainbow capital of the world?

Double rainbow

We all love seeing a rainbow on a damp day, brightening the sky above. If you want to see the best rainbows in the world, you should take a trip to Hawaii.

Dubbed the rainbow capital of the world, the Hawaiian islands hold the optical illusion close to heart. They are reflected in the state’s culture and language thanks to a steady supply of the coloured arches over the years.

A study released by the University of Hawai’i delved deeper into the relationship.

Firstly, the island is perfectly placed to see rainbows. Located in the subtropical Pacific, Hawaii’s weather is dominated by trade winds and frequent rain showers.

It also benefits from a warm sea surface heating the atmosphere from below to produce clouds, while mountains push trade winds to move upwards producing rain clouds.

Far from mainland U.S. the air around Hawaii is remarkably clean and free of pollution, helping produce bright and vibrant rainbows containing a full spectrum of colour.

In conclusion, Hawaii is an almost perfect rainbow generating island. Routinely creating the conditions needed for their appearance and being inspired by the illusion for generations.

Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
50 years since historic 1976 heatwave. Three-month hot spell. . . Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Black-and-white photograph from the 1976 UK heatwave showing a crowded outdoor swimming area packed with people bathing, wading, and sitting along the water's edge during extreme summer heat.
Tuesday, 23 June 2026

Three-month hot spell

50 years since historic 1976 heatwave
Trapped beneath a blanket of hot air. Heat dome. . . Monday, 22 June 2026
Split graphic showing a heat dome illustration over Europe on the left with a high-pressure system trapping hot air, and an extreme temperature map on the right displaying widespread 40–41°C heat across France and Spain with a large thermometer icon.
Monday, 22 June 2026

Heat dome

Trapped beneath a blanket of hot air
Frost instead of a heatwave. Winter in South America. . . Friday, 26 June 2026
Temperature map of South America showing a widespread cold air outbreak across Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil, with a large blue thermometer icon highlighting below-average temperatures and near-freezing conditions in parts of Argentina.
Friday, 26 June 2026

Winter in South America

Frost instead of a heatwave
All weather news
This might also interest you
Bright and warm conditions take hold. Spring-like outlook. . . Thursday, 23 April 2026
Split UK map showing warm temperatures up to 21 degrees in orange on the left and clear sunny conditions with temperatures from 12 to 18 degrees on the right, with sun icons across the country.
Thursday, 23 April 2026

Spring-like outlook

Bright and warm conditions take hold
Seasonal warmth between spring thunder. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 19 April 2026
Split image showing coastal sunset with layered lenticular clouds over rooftops and palm trees on the left, and a green valley with river and hills under soft daylight on the right.
Sunday, 19 April 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Seasonal warmth between spring thunder
Storm Benjamin impacts the UK. Warnings active. . . Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Split weather map showing UK wind speeds in orange-red shades up to 40 mph on the left and warning levels in green-yellow on the right, with a central wind warning sign.
Wednesday, 22 October 2025

Warnings active

Storm Benjamin impacts the UK
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList