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12h ago

Hurricane Lowell Threatens Kauai as Storm Passes Just West of Niihau

Forecasters warn of life‑threatening winds with heavy rain, storm surge, dangerous surf, possible tornadoes that could worsen flooding, isolating vulnerable communities.

A child throws a rock toward the ocean at Makapu’u Beach Park in Honolulu, Hawaii, on September 6, 2026. Hawaii is preparing for the effects of Hurricane Lowell, which could brush by the state's westernmost islands from the evening of September 7, even as its exact path remains unclear. The storm was passing south of the island chain on September 4 but is set to swing north over the US Labor Day long weekend, possibly putting Kauai and Niihau islands near its center, according to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). (Photo by Michelle Bir / AFP)
Hawaii braces for Hurricane Lowell
A view of the Northern Pacific GOES satellite image taken at 1510 UTC, Sept. 7, 2025, showing Tropical Storm Marie as the sun rises, and Hurricane Lowell barreling toward Hawaii, still in nighttime. (Image credit: NOAA/RAMMB/Colorado State University)
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Overview

  • The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for Kauai County, covering Kauai and Niihau, and tropical‑storm warnings for other islands as Lowell approached the western islands.
  • Forecasters said Lowell’s center is expected to pass just west of Niihau late Monday into Tuesday and remain a hurricane at its closest approach with hurricane‑force winds extending about 60 miles and tropical‑storm‑force winds up to roughly 175 miles.
  • Rainfall of 6–10 inches is forecast for Kauai with isolated higher totals and 4–8 inches for the Big Island, raising the risk of flash floods and mudslides on steep terrain already weakened by recent storms.
  • State and county officials activated emergency measures including school and office closures, shelters, National Guard mobilization, airport and port suspensions, and warnings that power outages and downed trees are likely.
  • Residents stocked supplies and boarded property as officials urged evacuation readiness for low‑lying and coastal areas, and forecasters cautioned that significant hazards can occur even if the storm’s center stays offshore.