Hurricane Lowell skirts western Hawaii with strong winds and heavy rain
The Category 2 Hurricane Lowell passed west of Kauai and Oahu, bringing winds up to 105 mph, heavy rainfall and hazardous surf, prompting warnings and power outages across the islands.
Hurricane Lowell moved northward along the western side of the Hawaiian Islands early Tuesday, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. At 2 a.m. local time the storm was about 110 miles northwest of Lihue on Kauai and 215 miles west-northwest of Honolulu, traveling at 18 mph. Hurricane-force winds extended up to 70 miles from the center.
The agency warned that the system could deliver up to two feet of rain on parts of the archipelago, generate life-threatening surf and rip currents, and spawn isolated tornadoes. A hurricane warning was issued for Kauai County and a tropical storm warning for Oahu, while a tornado watch covered Niihau, Kauai and surrounding waters until 4 a.m.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency described conditions as hazardous and advised residents to shelter in place overnight. Power outages affected tens of thousands of homes and businesses. Forecasts called for 4-8 inches of additional rain on Kauai, with localized totals of up to 24 inches, and similar heavy rainfall on the Big Island, Oahu and Maui.
"Anything that could fly, we're going to try to protect," said Sundey Allan, a Kauai resident who had rented a beachfront house for her daughter's birthday as the storm approached.
Officials cautioned that the rainfall could trigger flash flooding and mudslides, particularly on Kauai and parts of the Big Island.