Hilo area-- muggy & buggy? (Keaau: for sale, home, college)

[SagDreamer]

Aloha!

We are looking to relocate our farm to the Hilo area this year (Keaau is our leading contender so far) from very dry Idaho and am wondering if all the rain results in a humid and muggy climate with a lot of bugs. So far I haven't found that information anywhere and would appreciate the feedback from locals. Mahalo.

[fwi]

Originally Posted by SagDreamer

Aloha!

We are looking to relocate our farm to the Hilo area this year (Keaau is our leading contender so far) from very dry Idaho and am wondering if all the rain results in a humid and muggy climate with a lot of bugs. So far I haven't found that information anywhere and would appreciate the feedback from locals. Mahalo.

Yes. All tropical/sub-tropical climates will provide you with the things you fear.

[allensylves]

It is very humid sometimes, but not as muggy as the southeast and mid-Atlantic states in the summer!!

Allen
Baton Rouge, LA but born and raised in eastern Washington - go Huskies

[Brav989]

Originally Posted by SagDreamer

Aloha!

We are looking to relocate our farm to the Hilo area this year (Keaau is our leading contender so far) from very dry Idaho and am wondering if all the rain results in a humid and muggy climate with a lot of bugs. So far I haven't found that information anywhere and would appreciate the feedback from locals. Mahalo.

A lot of bugs that tend to be very large and be all over the place. I don't consider it too muggy, really. Not sure if that's true of if I adjusted quickly to it.

[KonaKat]

Originally Posted by SagDreamer

Aloha!

We are looking to relocate our farm to the Hilo area this year (Keaau is our leading contender so far) from very dry Idaho and am wondering if all the rain results in a humid and muggy climate with a lot of bugs. So far I haven't found that information anywhere and would appreciate the feedback from locals. Mahalo.

Have you visited the Big Island yet to see what kind of farmland is available for sale, that suits your particular needs? What crops or animals do you want to raise?

Yes on the bugs and humidity by the way although it is not oppressive like in the midwest.

[melaniej65]

As far as 'muggy' it certainly has a L-O-N-G way to go before it even begins to touch the hellish humidity of the South during the summer. I have lived in AL, KY, LA, MO & TX(while it is not technically the "South" it is close enough to mention!

Bugs? Oh, yes...lots of bugs BUT no snakes!!!!! I'll take bugs over snakes any day!

[hotzcatz]

A bug flew in my ear today, we have lots of bugs here. Apparently the best way to remove bugs from your ear is to float the ear full of olive, vegetable or baby oil. Just in case you ever need to know.

We don't have a lot of mugginess, but we do have tons of humidity. Mostly the tradewinds blow the mugginess away, when the winds don't blow then we get muggy and vog. Vog is way evil, it can even wreck crops if it is heavy enough. It is volcanic fumes with sulfur and other things that do nasties to your sinuses.

Here's a link for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) which is our main database for farmers around here: Welcome to the CTAHR Home Page!

[mdand3boys]

Hilo's 80 degrees and high humidity, especially right after a rain shower, is much different than the 95 degree, high humidity with the sun out that we get here in Illinois during the summer. My sister lives in Houston - it's always unbearable there. We vacation often in either Florida or the Alabama Gulf Coast areas and they are also terrible. I'll take Hilo weather over that, anytime.

[SagDreamer]

Thank you all for the replies. I grew up in the Midwest, lived in the Mid-Atlantic and have visited down South and that sort of oppressive, can't breathe, can't get away from it muggy humidity is what I dread most. As for bugs, only mosquitos are what I would love to avoid. Again, I am thinking swamp-like, stagnant, hot & humid and from my experience visiting the Big Island it isn't like that, but I haven't been yet in the heart of summer.

In answer to another question, we don't do many crops here in Idaho because it is considered high arid desert with only 9 inches of rain and 6 months of winter. Before that I was in Sedona, AZ, also hot and dry. We have been focusing on organically, biodynamically raising rare heritage breeds of sheep, pigs, poultry, etc. We also raise exotic sporthorses and Komondors (dreadlock dogs). I look forward to growing heirloom vegetables and other produce once making the relocation.

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by SagDreamer

...Again, I am thinking swamp-like, stagnant, hot & humid and from my experience visiting the Big Island it isn't like that, but I haven't been yet in the heart of summer....

Summer vs winter is about 2-4 degrees of temperature....