Category 3 Hurricane Lowell nears Kauai as Hawaii issues hurricane warnings

HONOLULU — Powerful Hurricane Lowell is barreling toward Hawaii and is expected to make a dangerously close pass by the state's western islands as heavy rain associated with the Category 3 hurricane has already triggered flash flooding on Oahu and damaging surf is pounding Hawaii's southern shores.

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HONOLULU — Powerful Hurricane Lowell is barreling toward Hawaii and is expected to make a dangerously close pass by the state's western islands as heavy rain associated with the Category 3 hurricane has already triggered flash flooding on Oahu and damaging surf is pounding Hawaii's southern shores.

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A Hurricane Warning was issued for Kauaʻi County late Sunday as well as parts of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, a chain of smaller islands and atolls northwest of Hawaii's populated islands.

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HONOLULU — Powerful Hurricane Lowell is barreling toward Hawaii and is expected to make a dangerously close pass by the state's western islands as heavy rain associated with the Category 3 hurricane has already triggered flash flooding on Oahu and damaging surf is pounding Hawaii's southern shores.

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As these powerful winds continue to decrease, the rough surf crashing along the Hawaiian Islands will also lessen.

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Lowell is expected to produce more heavy rain, flash flooding, gusty winds and damaging surf across the entire state, forecast to make its closest approach late Monday into early Tuesday.

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Rain associated with Lowell had already triggered flash flooding along the Kamehameha Highway north of Waikane in Oahu on Sunday afternoon.

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Oahu #hitraffic #hiwx 9/6/26 4:50PM: Crew is north of Waikane.

Mobilizing contractor to clear a large tree that came downstream at Waiahole. pic.twitter.com/VtmeIvvbvg

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Rain from Lowell's outer bands is lashing Kauaʻi and Oahu overnight Sunday.

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FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne, reporting from Kōloa on Kaua'i, reported steady rain early Monday morning.

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Looking ahead as forecasters track the path of Lowell, the consensus amongst computer models predicts the hurricane will pass to the west of Hawaii and avoid a direct hit to the state.

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Despite predictions that the storm will pass offshore, Lowell's large tropical-storm wind field means the Western Hawaiian Islands will still experience significant impacts.

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The timing and early impacts for Oahu will kick off Monday afternoon, when tropical-force wind gusts of up to 30 to 40 mph will lash Oahu, along with heavy rainfall.

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As the storm tracks closer to the state, rough surf and waves as high as 20 feet will be possible along the south and west-facing coastal areas of Kauai and Oahu, helping fuel a coastal flood threat.

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Despite this, a flood threat will still exist as around 5 to 8 inches of rain will have fallen across portions of the state, with some localized amounts closer to a foot.

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By Tuesday, Lowell will begin to accelerate north before weakening, as tropical-storm-force winds will also decrease by the evening.

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The storm is the third system in just over three weeks to threaten Hawaii during an active hurricane season in the central Pacific.

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Lowell is the third storm in a matter of weeks to hit Hawaii as the climate crisis continues to increase the intensity and frequency of storms and other weather events.

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Lowell remained a category 3 hurricane early on Sunday morning, packing winds of 125 miles per hour while moving north-west at six miles per hour.

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As of Saturday, Hurricanes Karina, Lowell and Marie were all churning in the Pacific at the same time, marking the region’s first triple-hurricane stretch in a decade.

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As of Saturday, Hurricanes Karina, Lowell and Marie were all churning in the Pacific at the same time, marking the region’s first triple-hurricane stretch in a decade.

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The National Hurricane Center (NHC) was also monitoring a fourth potential system off the coast of Mexico.

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A tropical storm warning is in effect for Kauai and Ni’ihau, where wind gusts above 39 miles per hour are possible over the next 48 hours.

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Tropical Storm Moke struck the southern part of Hawaii’s islands two weeks ago, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds.

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That came just days after Hurricane Lala hit the region.

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It was about 445 miles southwest of Lihue, or 480 miles southwest of Honolulu, and was moving to the north-northeast at 10 miles per hour.

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High Surf Warnings have been issued for the south-facing shores of all islands through 6 a.m. Tuesday.

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Lowell is forecast to turn toward the north-northwest and slow down by Tuesday night.

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Surf of 6 to 8 feet is forecast through Monday morning, rapidly building Monday afternoon and evening to 12 to 16 feet.

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A High Surf Warning is also posted for the west shores of Hawaii Island.

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A High Surf Advisory has also been issued for the east-facing shores of Oahu, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii Island for waves of 7 to 10 feet through Monday.

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STORM SURGE: The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.

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Across the remaining islands, rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is possible.

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Meanwhile, Karina is rapidly weakening and is now a post-tropical cyclone northeast of Hawaii.

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Karina’s remnants are expect to dissipate in the next day or two.

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Lowell is about 415 miles southwest of Lihue, moving north-northeast at 10 mph.

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Wind shear is expected to increase greatly Monday night.

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Oahu could see 4 to 6 inches, with isolated totals of 8 inches possible.

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Winds of 40-75 mph with gusts 85 are expected for Kauai.

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The remaining islands could see 2 to 4 inches.

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Storm Surge: The combination of storm surge and tides could cause normally dry coastal areas to flood as water moves inland from the shoreline.

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The deepest water is expected along the immediate coast near and to the right of Lowell's center, where the surge could be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

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This could bring coastal flooding to exposed Kauai shorelines Monday into Monday night.

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By Sunday evening, Kauai County, which covers the islands of Kauai and Niʻihau, was placed under a hurricane watch.

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Lowell was about 500 miles south-southwest of the community of Līhuʻe, on the westernmost major Hawaiian island of Kauai, according to the hurricane center’s Sunday evening advisory, and was moving at 9 mph.

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The tropical cyclone reached Category 5, defined by sustained winds of 157 mph or greater, overnight Friday before losing some of its steam and settling into Category 4’s limits of sustained winds of 130-156 mph by Saturday.

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On Friday, Green declared a state of emergency for Hawaii and activated the National Guard to respond to the storm’s impacts.

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Maui could record up to 8 inches of rain, the National Hurricane Center said, but officials in the state are also focused on the storm’s impacts on Kauai and Niʻihau, the latter occupying the map as the archipelago’s 84-resident, westernmost island.

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Lowell is joined by two other tropical cyclones spinning in the northern half of the Pacific this week: Tropical Storm Karina, a former Category 4 hurricane about 655 miles east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, on Sunday; and Hurricane Marie, churning about 550 miles west-southwest of Punta Eugenia, Mexico, and producing 75 mph sustained winds — a hair above the threshold for Category 1 status.

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Parts of Oahu and the Big Island were hit with intense flooding and strong winds from Tropical Storm Lala last month.

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Its maximum sustained winds had decreased to 120 mph, still a dangerous Category 3 hurricane.

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The storm was about 500 miles south-southwest of Lihue on Kauai, and about 525 miles southwest of Honolulu.

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At 5 p.m.

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Heavy rain is expected across much of the state, with a 100% chance of rain on Labor Day.

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Flood-prone roads and low-lying areas may be closed due to elevated runoff and overflowing streams, while urban areas may receive more significant flooding and property damage due to rapid runoff.

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Elsewhere, rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches are expected.

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