Hurricane Lowell churns north through the Central Pacific as a powerful Category 3 storm, threatening Kauai County and Niihau with life-threatening surf, torrential rainfall, and destructive winds by Monday night. Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard ahead of the severe weather impacts.
Governor Josh Green Declares State of Emergency as Lowell Shifts North
Hawaii officials are preparing for severe impacts as Hurricane Lowell makes its anticipated northward turn toward the islands. The storm reached Category 5 strength overnight Friday before losing some steam, settling into Category 4 limits by Saturday and dropping to Category 3 by Sunday with 120 mph sustained winds, according to the National Hurricane Center.
On Sunday, Lowell sat approximately 535 miles south-southwest of Lihue and about 555 miles southwest of Honolulu, traveling north at a modest speed of 6 mph. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 50 miles from the center, while tropical storm-force winds reached up to 175 miles outward. Although forecast models keep the storm’s center passing just west of the archipelago’s major islands, officials warn that residents cannot lower their guard.
“Just because we’re on the edge of the cone doesn’t mean we’re safe.”
John Bravender, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service
The state’s Emergency Management Agency advised that tropical storm conditions are expected across Kauai County within a 36-hour window. Governor Green noted on social media that a slight eastward shift had heightened the risk of tropical storm-force winds hitting land.
“Hurricane Lowell has made its expected northward turn and remains forecast to pass west of Kauaʻi, but a slight shift east has increased the potential for tropical storm-force winds.”
Josh Green, Hawaii Governor
Severe Flood Warnings, Up to 14 Inches of Rain, and Life-Threatening Surf
The most immediate and severe threat comes from massive amounts of moisture streaming into the islands. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch through Tuesday afternoon for all of the Hawaiian islands, with Kauai and Niihau facing the highest risk of destructive downpours and rapidly rising waters.
Forecast models project rainfall totals of 6 to 10 inches across Kauai, with isolated maximums reaching up to 14 inches in interior mountain elevations. The Big Island is expected to record 4 to 8 inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 12 inches, while Maui could see up to 8 inches. Forecasters warn that these heavy rains may produce significant flash flooding and mudslides, making evacuations and rescues likely in vulnerable terrain.
| Island / County | Expected Rainfall Totals | Key Weather Hazards |
|---|---|---|
| Kauai and Niihau | 6 to 10 inches (isolated up to 14 inches) | Flash flooding, mudslides, life-threatening surf, 3-foot storm surge |
| Big Island | 4 to 8 inches (isolated up to 12 inches) | Heavy rain, localized flooding, runoff |
| Maui | 2 to 4 inches (isolated up to 8 inches) | Enhanced showers, terrain amplification |
| Oahu | 2 to 4 inches | High surf up to 16 feet, coastal flooding |
Coastal areas face extraordinary marine hazards as well. The National Weather Service noted that south- and west-facing shores on Kauai and Oahu are expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents. Peak surf heights along exposed southern shores of Kauai could reach 22 feet on Monday, accompanied by 1 to 3 feet of coastal inundation during high tide.
Emergency Preparedness on Kauai and Niihau as Residents Hunker Down
In Lihue, a town of 8,000 residents housing Kauai’s primary airport, supermarkets saw shelves empty as locals rushed to secure provisions. Real estate agent Lori Benkert secured an extra 10-pound container of propane for cooking and boarded up two houses on the western side of the island.
“We’ll lose some power, probably have some trees, a bunch of tree limbs coming down. Everybody is probably going just to hunker down.”
Lori Benkert, real estate agent
The Kauai Emergency Management Agency urged residents to fill gas tanks, charge electronic devices, refill necessary medical prescriptions, and maintain an adequate supply of food and water to remain home for several days.
Beyond high winds and heavy rain, meteorologists warned that outer rainbands spiraling around the storm’s center create a favorable environment for fast-moving, short-lived waterspouts or tornadoes near Kauai on Monday afternoon and night before the threat diminishes early Tuesday morning.
Unusual Triple-Hurricane Pacific Activity Tied to Warming El Niño Waters
Hurricane Lowell is part of an active Pacific hurricane season driven by unusually warm sea surface temperatures and an El Niño weather phenomenon. As Lowell churns westward, it is accompanied by two other tropical cyclones in the northern half of the Pacific: Tropical Storm Karina, located about 655 miles east-northeast of Hilo, and Hurricane Marie, packing 75 mph winds while churning about 550 miles west-southwest of Punta Eugenia, Mexico.
The simultaneous presence of Karina, Lowell, and Marie marks the region’s first triple-hurricane stretch in a decade.
For Hawaii, the immediate test arrives as Lowell completes its closest approach to the western edge of the archipelago, leaving emergency responders on high alert through the passage of the storm.
