Is there a Vog season in Kona?
Oct 26th, 2011, 09:31 PM
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Is there a Vog season in Kona?
planning our next Hawaii trip, and want to do Big Island. Is there a season where the Vog is worse than others? I know it's unpredictable, but wondered if spring or fall is better?
Oct 27th, 2011, 02:31 AM
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We stayed a week in April in Kona this year. (I posted a trip report.) We noticed the vog mostly as we came over the hill from Waimea, and again when we trekked south from Kona, especially at the higher elevations. Can't say that it bothered us much, and DW is very sensitive to air quality issues. Have fun.
Oct 27th, 2011, 03:53 AM
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There is no season for vog. Whether it occurs and where it occurs depends on which way the prevailing winds are blowing and the activities of Madame Pele in Kilauea. After the increase in activity in spring 2008, with the explosive event in Halemaumau crater (which is within the main Kilauea crater), there has been an increase in the possibility of vog, especially in south Kona and to a lesser degree in Kailua.
When Hawiaii's prevailing southwest-traveling tradewinds are blowing the voggy air travels south around the tip of the Big Island and up the west coast. Since the south Kona area is blocked from prevailing tradewinds by the bulk of Mauna Loa, the vog tends to stay in the area. When the Kona winds blow out of the south (occurs every month or so), the vog gets blown into the Hilo area and can even affect the other islands.
All that said, in our seven trips to the Big Island since the spring 2008 incident, the vog was only really noticable one time and that was less than a month after the incident. During all the other trips (which usually include south Kona and the Hilo area and are usually during the winter), the vog tends to settle on the higher slopes of Mauna Loa ( as BillJ reports) or hangs off the south Kona coast (which does interfere with the possibility of seeing a green flash at sunset-darn). And as quo indicates it is almost never a problem at the Kohala beaches.
When Hawiaii's prevailing southwest-traveling tradewinds are blowing the voggy air travels south around the tip of the Big Island and up the west coast. Since the south Kona area is blocked from prevailing tradewinds by the bulk of Mauna Loa, the vog tends to stay in the area. When the Kona winds blow out of the south (occurs every month or so), the vog gets blown into the Hilo area and can even affect the other islands.
All that said, in our seven trips to the Big Island since the spring 2008 incident, the vog was only really noticable one time and that was less than a month after the incident. During all the other trips (which usually include south Kona and the Hilo area and are usually during the winter), the vog tends to settle on the higher slopes of Mauna Loa ( as BillJ reports) or hangs off the south Kona coast (which does interfere with the possibility of seeing a green flash at sunset-darn). And as quo indicates it is almost never a problem at the Kohala beaches.
Nov 1st, 2011, 06:24 PM
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We are in Kona right now; the vog has been off and on. Right now I can see a long way towards the West, altho there is some cloudiness(rain clouds). When there has been haze(vog) , it has not been all that noticeable. Don't let it govern your choice, it is not that bad.
