Hawaii
Hawaii is the rainbow capital of the world. Here's what that means
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s regular sunshine, short rain showers and clean air come together to create some of the planet’s best conditions for viewing rainbows. They’re such a frequent sight that a University of Hawaii professor calls the state the “rainbow capital of the world.”
Right now it’s the winter rainy season in the islands, which means the odds of seeing a rainbow are even higher than usual.
Rainbows emerge so often in Hawaii they’ve become popular symbols of island life. Pictures of them adorn buildings, the sides of public buses and appear on standard vehicle license plates. University of Hawaii sports teams are even named after rainbows.
“For me, rainbows really signify hope and new beginnings,” said Liane Usher, the president of the Children’s Discovery Center in Honolulu, which features rainbows on its exterior wall and in its exploration rooms. “I can’t ever help but smile whenever I see a rainbow after the rain.”
Here are some things to know about rainbows in Hawaii.
Where can I find rainbows?
Rainbows form when raindrops refract sunlight into a spectrum of colors. The brighter the sun, the clearer the rainbow.
Look for them when it is both sunny and raining at the same time. They will appear opposite the sun. They will seem larger and higher in the sky in the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun is lower on the horizon.
Steven Businger, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, says the archipelago’s trade winds bring many small showers with enough blue sky between them for the sun to shine through.
Hawaii’s clean air also helps. Other places tend to have more air particles from dust, pollen and cars. Conditions improve further during Hawaii’s rainy season, which lasts from October through April.
“Hawaii has maybe the best rainbows on the planet,” Businger said.
Businger created an app called RainbowChase to help people find rainbows in Hawaii.
Rainbows are so prevalent that there are about 20 names for them in the Hawaiian language, according to a Manoa website, including distinct words for rainbow fragments and those that sit low on the horizon.
What role do rainbows play in Native Hawaiian culture?
Rainbows represent divine or supernatural power in Native Hawaiian tradition.
Sam ‘Ohu Gon III, senior scientist and cultural adviser at The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii, said rainbows are considered a symbol of Kāne, one of the four main gods in Hawaiian tradition. Traditionally, the closer one got to a rainbow, the more likely they were to encounter a supernatural force, or an extremely powerful or chiefly person, he said.
In one centuries-old story, a rainbow appears over the secluded home of a Hawaiian princess for four straight days. Another emerges above the ocean when her suitor arrives, a man so strong his punch pierces an opponent’s chest like a spear.
To Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, a teacher and Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner, a rainbow signals an “aumakua,” which is a deified ancestor or a family or personal god.
“When those of our loved ones go before us, they precede us in life and they leave us in this realm. They are able sometimes to show their presence,” Wong-Kalu said. “The rainbow is one of those ways.”
Rainbows let her know spiritual protection is present and that she is loved and watched over, said Wong-Kalu, who is also known as Kumu Hina.
When did rainbows become symbols of island life?
Rainbow imagery decorates everything from buildings and restaurant facades to athletic uniforms.
The Hawaii men’s athletic teams are called Rainbow Warriors and the women’s teams are Rainbow Wahine, using the Hawaiian word for women. The teams are called ‘Bows’ for short.
The origin of the rainbow mascot dates to New Year’s Day in 1924. Hawaii was locked in a scoreless tie against the visiting Oregon Aggies when a rainbow appeared over the field. Hawaii scored soon after and reporters began calling the team the Rainbows, according to the book “Hawai’i Sports: History, Facts and Statistics.”
The Hawaii football team in 2000 dropped “Rainbow” from its nickname when a coach expressed concern it carried a “stigma” because of its association with the LGBTQ+ community. The school restored the name in 2013.
Will climate change affect rainbows?
When Kimberly Carlson was a professor at Manoa, she saw a rainbow outside her apartment window that made her wonder how climate change would affect them.
Now a New York University environmental studies professor, she’s studied the impact over the next century.
Her team’s analysis, published in a paper two years ago, predicts Brazil, the Mediterranean and parts of Central Africa will have fewer rainbows by 2100. They found places that currently get lots of snow, but that will instead receive more rain, will likely see more rainbows. Alaska falls in that category.
Scientists believe rainbows will continue to be plentiful in Hawaii, but in the coming decades, longer dry spells might lead to fewer rainbows on the arid, leeward sides of the islands, Businger, the atmospheric sciences professor, said. Maui and the Big Island might be particularly affected, he said.
The singular experience of glimpsing a rainbow makes them worth studying, he said.
“Rainbows are a cultural touchstone for us. They cause us to stand still and for a moment, forget about the past and the future,” Businger said. “We are really in the moment when we see a spectacular rainbow, and that’s a rare experience in our busy lives.”
Hawaii
Tourist yells ‘I’m rich’ after beachgoers beg him to stop attacking endangered seal — before he’s detained
A tourist who threw a huge rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal in Maui boasted that he didn’t care about the consequences because he’s “rich” — before he was detained over the attack.
The man was filmed lifting a large rock from a beach and throwing it towards an endangered seal as it swam off the Lahaina shoreline last Tuesday, narrowly missing the animal’s head.
Kaylee Schnitzer, who filmed the video, can be heard yelling at the man: “What are you doing? Why would you throw a rock at it?”
She later told KHON 2: “We told him that we called the cops, and he was like, ‘I don’t care. Fine me, I’m rich.’ He said that, and he kept walking.”
The Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement’s Maui Branch dispatched officers to the beach, where they detained the suspect. Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources said it will not be share the suspect’s identity as he has not been criminally charged at this time. He is understood to be a 37-year-old man from Seattle, Washington.
A viral video captured a tourist throwing a large rock at an endangered monk seal in Hawaii (KHON2)
Hawaiian monk seals are among the most endangered marine mammals in the world. Harassing, injuring or killing one is against both state and federal law, and violators may face fines or criminal penalties. The horrifying incident sparked online outrage and Schnitzer’s video went viral.
The seal, named “Lani,” is beloved by many residents in the area after returning to Lahaina following the 2023 wildfires. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen noted in an Instagram post that both members of his team and locals have “watched over and deeply cared for” Lani since her return.
“Let me be clear, this is not the kind of visitor we welcome on Maui,” Bissen said. “We welcome respectful visitors that understand that our cultural environment and wildlife must be treated with care and aloha. Behavior like this will not be tolerated.”
Monk seals are one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world (Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources)
State officials said the suspect was questioned by authorities and later released after he requested legal counsel.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources said it is investigating the incident and will turn over the findings to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for possible federal action. The Independent has contacted the department for more information.
During a news conference on Wednesday, the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Chief Jason Redulla said officials have not confirmed whether the seal was harmed by the rock.
Police reminded the public to avoid interactions with the protected species and report harmful behavior to authorities.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Firefighters responded to a vehicle fire on the H-1 Freeway late Friday night.
The Honolulu Fire Department said the fire was reported around 10:40 p.m. on the H-1 eastbound, after the Kinau Street exit.
Witnesses told Hawaii News Now flames rose higher than the concrete barrier separating the eastbound and westbound lanes.
One unit with four personnel responded and quickly brought the fire under control.
The fire was extinguished, and the responding unit was cleared from the scene by 11:22 p.m.
No other details were immediately available.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
-
Nevada5 minutes ago‘I just believe in Michele.’ Undaunted as ever, Fiore plans return to Pahrump bench – The Nevada Independent
-
New Hampshire11 minutes agoBuilding back history: Program trains young people to help preserve NH’s landmarks
-
New Jersey17 minutes agoNJ Burglars Target These 10 Hiding Spots First
-
New Mexico23 minutes agoFuture of free childcare for all families in New Mexico remains uncertain
-
North Carolina29 minutes agoPerspective | What North Carolina gets right about workforce: Progress beyond politics
-
North Dakota35 minutes agoND Guard officer in charge of DC special mission
-
Ohio41 minutes ago
Ohio Lottery Pick 3 Midday, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for May 10, 2026
-
Oklahoma47 minutes ago
Tulsa Race Massacre reparations is soul-redeeming work for the US, Oklahoma civil rights lawyer says
