Forecasters warn Lowell could be near major hurricane strength as it moves close to the western Hawaiian Islands next week.

Category 4 Hurricane Lowell is forecast to turn northward over the weekend and take a path uncomfortably close to Kauai on Labor Day.

Lowell is forecasted to pass far south of Hawaiʻi Island, while Karina is maintaining a northwest track and is expected to pass far to the northeast of the state.

Swells from Hurricane Lowell are filling in, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu. A large, medium-period east swell from Hurricane Karina is also filling in and will continue through the weekend, producing high-end advisory-level surf or warning-level surf along east-facing shores.

Gov. Josh Green issued a statewide emergency proclamation Thursday as Hurricane Lowell threatened to make a sharp turn toward Kauai this weekend, but he emphasized that the forecast is still uncertain for the powerful storm’s exact path.

Lowell remains a major hurricane passing south of the Hawaiian Islands and is driving breezy tradewinds and large ocean swells toward shorelines statewide today, while forecasters warn the powerful storm could make a sharp turn toward Kauai County early next week.