Three active hurricanes—Lowell, Karina, and Marie—simultaneously churned across the Pacific Ocean in early September 2026, fueled by rising sea temperatures linked to an intensifying El Niño event. The rare simultaneous cluster prompted meteorologists and disaster management agencies to issue high-surf and storm alerts across Hawaii and coastal Mexico.
Simultaneous Pacific Storms Stir Rare Meteorological Alert
The eastern and central basins of the Pacific Ocean hosted a rare atmospheric alignment as three separate tropical systems reached hurricane strength at the same time. The simultaneous presence of Hurricanes Lowell, Karina, and Marie drew close monitoring from the National Hurricane Centre, as forecasters tracked differing trajectories and fluctuating intensities across the region. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tracked the phenomenon alongside the United States National Hurricane Centre, while the National Aeronautics and Space Administration also documented the episode, noting that Lowell, Karina, and Marie formed between late August and early September 2026.
Meteorological specialists pointed to the warm waters of the ocean as the primary engine driving the unusual cluster. University of Michigan climate scientist Julia Cole explained that El Niño warming sets the stage for these intense tropical developments by supplying sustained thermal energy. Dominican meteorological analyst Jean Suriel also noted in statements to the newspaper elCaribe that the warming of ocean waters and the influence of El Niño favor the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones, explaining that El Niño encourages cyclonic activity in the Pacific while typically decreasing storm frequency in the Atlantic.
Julia Cole, climate scientist at the University of Michigan, stated that El Niño warming sets the stage for these storms, which are fuelled in large part by warm waters, noting that when the tropical Pacific is warmer than normal we see an increase in strong storms.
Julia Cole, climate scientist at the University of Michigan
While the three systems remained offshore, their sheer physical power generated significant marine hazards, including heavy swells and life-threatening rip currents along distant shorelines. In Hawaii, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency urged residents and tourists to finish shelters and gather supplies immediately ahead of expected flooding and waterspouts, while defensive measures were reinforced in Kauai, Niihau, and Honolulu.
Intensities and Trajectories of Lowell, Karina, and Marie
Each of the three hurricanes followed a distinct path and experienced sharp variations in power during late August and early September. Lowell emerged as the most formidable system of the trio, climbing rapidly to intensity before its sustained winds moderated to 240 km/h at the close of Friday, September 4, as it tracked west toward the Hawaiian archipelago. Positioned roughly 950 kilometres south-southwest of Honolulu—and about 710 kilometres south of Hilo—Lowell was expected to maintain major hurricane status for several days as it approached the western area of the Hawaiian archipelago between Monday and the early hours of Tuesday, following a drastic shift northward or northeastward over the weekend.
Karina followed a separate trajectory further west into the central Pacific. After peaking at Category 4, the storm weakened slightly to Category 1 with sustained winds of 140 km/h, though forecasts indicated it would remain a hurricane for a couple of days while moving west toward the central Pacific with expected changes in trajectory and gradual weakening. Meanwhile, Marie strengthened into a hurricane late Wednesday off the southern tip of Baja California, positioning itself about 600 kilometres southwest of the region’s southern tip and moving west-northwestward over open waters away from the continental coast while strengthening through Friday.
| Hurricane System | Peak Intensity | Primary Geographic Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Lowell | Category 5 | Western Pacific / Hawaii approaches |
| Karina | Category 4 | Central Pacific |
| Marie | Hurricane status | Baja California / Southwestern Mexico |
The simultaneous activity drew immediate comparisons to the historic 2015 Pacific hurricane season, when hurricanes Kilo, Ignacio, and Jimena spun across the basin at the same time during another powerful El Niño cycle, as confirmed by NASA and noted by the Dominican outlet elCaribe.
El Niño Drives Planetary Heating and Pacific Activity
The cluster of simultaneous storms unfolded against the backdrop of an intensifying global climate pattern. The World Meteorological Organisation reported a near 100-percent probability that El Niño would persist through February 2027, with the UN body noting the climate phenomenon is expected to strengthen further before peaking toward the end of the year.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation, stated that if this trajectory continues, it may be stronger than anything since our monitoring began, describing it as literally off the charts we have used for the past four decades.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the gravity of the planetary conditions in a statement released by the World Meteorological Organisation, declaring that "El Niño is being supersized before our eyes" and noting that "the science leaves no room for doubt: The planet is in uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up." While scientists cautioned against attributing any single storm directly to climate change, the underlying ocean warmth directly supports the increased frequency of vigorous tropical cyclonic events across the Pacific basin.
