Category 2 winds, 20-foot surf and record rain slam Kauai as the storm slips north of Niʻihau.
Around midnight, Hurricane Lowell made its closest pass to the Hawaiian Islands just west of Niʻihau. By Tuesday morning, the core was already pulling away. Kauai still felt the punch.
At 5 a.m. HST, the National Hurricane Center placed Lowell 145 miles northwest of Līhuʻe with 90 mph winds, down from 110 mph the night before. A hurricane warning stayed up for Kauai County and the eastern Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Oahu remained under a tropical storm warning.
Power gone, roads closed
Fox Weather and PowerOutage.us reported more than 90 percent of Kauai without electricity and more than 60,000 customers dark across Kauai and Oahu combined. Trees blocked roads. Flash-flood warnings covered northern Kauai. About 275 people waited in shelters after a voluntary coastal evacuation. Līhuʻe Airport shut Monday afternoon. Schools and county offices stayed closed Tuesday.
Mount Waiʻaleʻale had already taken about 12 inches of rain before the closest pass. Forecasters still expected storm totals of up to 24 inches in the mountains, with another 2 to 4 inches falling Tuesday. The Big Island faced 3 to 6 more inches and a mudslide risk. Kuhio Highway near the Hanalei Bridge closed under floodwater.
South- and west-facing shores saw 20- to 30-foot swells. Storm surge of 2 to 4 feet ran over low coastal roads on Kauai and Niʻihau. Officials called the surf life-threatening.
First tornado watch on record
The National Weather Service issued Hawaii’s first tornado watch Monday afternoon for Kauai County, in effect until 4 a.m. Tuesday. It was later canceled once the center moved north. No tornadoes were confirmed in early reports. No deaths had been announced by midday Tuesday.
Governor Josh Green had declared a state of emergency days earlier and deployed National Guard members and high-water vehicles to Kauai. “The best thing to do is stay home,” he said Monday. Mayor Derek Kawakami told residents to finish preparations and check on neighbors. Many on Kauai still remember Hurricane Iniki in 1992.
Lowell formed in late August, reached Category 5 on September 2, then weakened as it turned north. It is forecast to become a tropical storm later Tuesday and drift northwest, away from the main islands. Flash flooding and coastal hazards remain the immediate threat.
AI Disclosure: This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools and was reviewed and edited by the Glowls News editorial team before publication.