Karmactive Staff
Hurricane Lowell is moving toward the Hawaiian Islands. As of September 5, Lowell remained a major hurricane, while forecasters expected it to weaken before its closest approach to Hawaii. Forecasters with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center are tracking it on a path projected to pass close to Kauai County.
Lowell’s intensity changed rapidly since it formed. Official advisories recorded Lowell reaching Category 5 strength on September 4, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, before later weakening. Lowell was being monitored alongside Hurricane Karina in the Central Pacific and Hurricane Marie in the Eastern Pacific.
A direct landfall is not certain. But Hawaii does not need a direct hit to face serious hazards.
Even when a hurricane’s center stays offshore, the surrounding circulation can push dangerous surf, rip currents, heavy rainfall, and strong winds across coastal areas. Official advisories have specifically warned of life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions. Forecast rainfall varied by island, with 3–6 inches and locally more than 10 inches possible in parts of Kauai and the Big Island.
What matters right now: hurricane forecasts change. A storm’s track and intensity can shift significantly within 24 to 48 hours. Residents and visitors should follow the latest Central Pacific Hurricane Center and local emergency-management advisories rather than treating any single forecast as final.
