Hurricane Lowell to pass Hawaii
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Hurricane Lowell is forecast to turn northward and approach the islands of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau on Monday, the National Weather Service reported.
At 5am Lowell had winds of 150 mph, was 630 miles SSW of Lihue, and moving west at 7 mph. The turn north will likely happen sometime today. Lowell is forecast to slowly weaken to category 3 as it passes just west of Niihau and Kauai.
Hurricane Lowell's maximum sustained windspeeds are 145 mph, and it will continue to strengthen.
The only two hurricanes to make direct landfall in Hawaii in modern history both made sharp turns before crossing over Kauai — a similar turn forecasters and emergency officials are watching closely as Hurricane Lowell moves south of the islands.
Lowell is maintaining its category 4 strength as it moves to the west about 585 miles south of Lihue, Kauai. Conditions are expected to remain favorable for the storm to maintain or even increase in strength over the next 2-3 days.
Gov. Josh Green signed a statewide emergency proclamation ahead of three hurricanes encroaching on the island chain this weekend. In an Instagram post today, Green cautioned that Lowell, currently a
Hurricane Lowell remains a major, 140-mph hurricane. Forecasts show the storm passing near Kauai and Niihau early next week, potentially at major hurricane strength.
More tropical swell for SoCal/Baja; waves and weather threaten the islands from multiple directions (Sept.3 | Director of Forecasting Kevin Wallis)