Hurricane Lowell Skirts Hawaii but Impacts Hit Hard
Hawaii is dealing with wind, rain and pounding surf from yet another hurricane this season as Lowell passes just west of the state's westernmost islands, with Kauai and Ni'ihau bearing the brunt of the impacts.
Lowell Passes Within 35 Miles of Ni'ihau's Shores
Hurricane Lowell was a Category 1 storm moving north-northeast at 18 mph as of early Tuesday morning HST, located about 245 miles northwest of Honolulu, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm made its closest approach around 11 p.m. Monday, passing 35 to 40 miles west of Ni'ihau's shores after turning north over the holiday weekend as forecast.
Ni'ihau experienced sustained hurricane-force winds of at least 74 mph, and Kauai recorded a maximum observed wind gust of 92 mph. A Hurricane Warning remains in effect for Kauai and Ni'ihau, with a Tropical Storm Warning in effect for Oahu.
Just days before its close pass, Lowell peaked as a Category 5 hurricane with 160 mph winds. At the time of closest approach, hurricane-force winds extended 60 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reached out 160 miles, reflecting the storm's unusually large size. Wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph are expected to continue across Ni'ihau and Kauai's higher elevations into Tuesday evening, with the strongest gusts concentrated in higher terrain, ridges and areas closest to the storm's center.
As of 5 a.m. Tuesday, 90% of Kauai County and 7% of Honolulu County were without power, with roughly 58,000 people across all islands affected. A few waterspouts or tornadoes remain possible as squalls continue moving across the islands.
Heavy Rain and Storm Surge Threaten Flooding, Coastal Impacts
A general 1 to 2 inches of rain is forecast across all the islands, with 4 to 8 inches possible across higher terrain and northern-facing mountain slopes elsewhere. The heaviest totals, 8 to 12 inches, are most likely across the higher elevations of Kauai and Ni'ihau, where isolated amounts as high as 25 inches are possible where repeated downpours focus over the same terrain.
That rain raises the risk of flash flooding, mudslides and road closures, particularly in steep terrain and low-lying areas, with the concern heightened since some Big Island infrastructure remains in recovery mode from earlier storms this season.
Storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is forecast around portions of the islands, including areas near Honolulu, with the greatest surge expected over the westernmost islands. That surge could inundate low-lying coastal areas and affect roads, beaches and shoreline infrastructure, compounded by rough surf and beach erosion. Because Lowell spent many hours as a major hurricane, it has generated large swells that continue spreading outward from its center.
What's Next
This year's El Niño-fueled Pacific hurricane season has already produced 15 tropical depressions and storms, including six hurricanes, and forecasters expect up to 22 named storms with 9 to 13 hurricanes in the eastern Pacific basin alone this season. A new tropical storm is forecast to develop in the coming days just west of Mexico, with Norbert next on the list of names.
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