The wonderful climate of Kauai

In Kauai it usually rains at night with occasional daytime rain showers. This is because the atmosphere is warm and has a higher saturation quantity, which means capable of holding more moisture. When night falls and the atmosphere cools, the total saturation quantity is lessened resulting in evening and nighttime rain showers. Trade winds carry the thunderstorms over the ocean and the North shores of Kauai are the first to be greeted.

The trade winds travel over Kauai from a Northeasterly direction. with this travel pattern the North and East sides of Kauai get the most precipitation. While the winds carry the storms over the island they cross over the mountains region which is in the Northeast portion of the island. When the clouds travel over the mountains the atmosphere cools, and the ability to hold the high moisture content is diminished, resulting in heavy rain showers over the mountains. Mount Waialeale is recorded as the the rainiest location on earth, accumulating an average of four hundred and forty inches of rain a year. The north side of the island receives an average of forty five inches a year and the East shores receive about thirty five inches a year.

Rainfall is an indication of one hundred percent humidity, meaning that the balance between humidity and atmospheric temperature are at equilibrium (just right). With this the dew point is reached and ground condensation occurs. Kauais tropical location allows for warmer temperatures most of the year so ground condensation will usually turn to a gaseous state, making the air feel warmer and moist. Sometimes the winds will shift from the Northeast to the Southwest which bring whats called the Kona Winds. These winds bring heavy rain fall and warmer temperatures. The kona winds make the climate on the Southwest side of the island very humid and it receives copious amounts of precipitation. These winds make the air feel hot and sticky, not very desirable. The Kona winds are a very rare occurrence and they have short term predictability.  
The clouds that bring in the thunderstorms to Kauais shores are called Cumulonimbus with anvil. They are very tall and can be seen from a great distance. They very in color from snow white to dark grey. The tops of these clouds will be white because of how tall they are the moisture crystallizes. Closer to the base is where color variation is noticed.

Pictures are from google images
Information source:
http://www.kauaivacationsecrets.com/kauai-weather/ accessed April 17, 2013