Category 3 Hurricane Lowell Set to Pass Near Kauai

Hurricane Lowell weakened to a Category 3 storm packing 120 mph winds late on September 6, but forecasters say it remains on a path that will carry it just west of Hawaii's Kauai and Niihau overnight on September 7 into the morning of September 8. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued the update in Advisory 44 at 5 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.

As of that advisory, Lowell was centered near 15.9 degrees north, 163.5 degrees west, about 500 miles southwest of Lihue, and moving north at 9 mph with an expected turn toward the north-northeast. The hurricane center has a Hurricane Warning posted for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument between Nihoa and French Frigate Shoals, along with a Hurricane Watch and Tropical Storm Warning for all of Kauai County, which includes Kauai and Niihau.

The timing matters because Lowell is forecast to pass closest to the islands as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane during the overnight hours of September 7 into September 8, according to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. That window is when the heaviest rain, strongest winds and highest surf are expected to hit Kauai and Niihau directly, leaving residents only a narrow stretch of daylight hours on September 7 to finish storm preparations.

The impacts are significant enough to threaten flooding and power outages across multiple islands. Hawaii emergency officials forecast 6 to 10 inches of rain for Kauai and Niihau, with isolated totals reaching 14 inches, plus 1 to 3 feet of storm surge and wind gusts up to 74 mph. Oahu could see gusts up to 40 mph and as much as a foot of storm surge, while the Big Island may get isolated rainfall up to 12 inches. Officials also warned of flash flooding and landslides in steep terrain, a chance of tornadoes and waterspouts on September 7, and dangerous surf on south- and west-facing shores statewide through September 8.

Lowell was a far stronger Category 4 hurricane as recently as September 5 before entering a weakening trend that forecasters expect to continue as it nears Hawaii. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency urged residents, especially on Kauai, to complete their hurricane readiness plans immediately and sign up for alerts through ready.hawaii.gov. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center's next advisory was scheduled for 8:45 a.m. Hawaii time on September 7.