Category 3 Hurricane Lowell Creeps Toward Hawaii, Prompting Emergency Warnings for Severe Winds and Flooding

Hurricane Lowell, a major Category 3 storm in the Pacific Ocean, has crept closer to the Hawaiian islands with forecasters warning the weather systems could unleash tornadoes on the islands of Kauai and Niihau. On Sunday, the United States National Hurricane Center issued emergency hurricane and tropical storm warnings for the island chain, advising residents and visitors to brace for severe windstorms and possible mudslides as early as Monday night local time.

Lowell is predicted to skirt just west of Hawaii’s most northwest main islands, Niihau and Kauai, as well as portions of the vast Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, tracking from south to north. Mayor Derek Kawakami of Kauai issued an emergency proclamation in anticipation of the hurricane. Kauai faces potential coastal flooding of up to 1 metre (3 feet) caused by rolling storm surges and unusually high tides.

The storm has been gradually pivoting toward the more rural islands in the Aloha state, moving north at 9 km/h (6 mph), according to the hurricane center. Lowell started as a tropical depression that formed over the Pacific Ocean on August 27, driven by a combination of warm ocean temperatures and an active El Nino pattern.

Forecasters said Lowell could bring rainfall of 150mm to 250mm (6 to 10 inches), with maximum totals of 360mm (14 inches). Lowell had maximum sustained winds of 195km/h (120 mph) and was pinpointed about 895km (about 555 miles) southwest of the state capital, Honolulu. Kauai’s Emergency Management Agency urged residents to fill gas tanks, charge devices, refill prescriptions and store water and food ahead of the storm, while panic-buying emptied supermarket shelves in Lihue on Kauai.

Meanwhile, Category 1 Hurricane Marie churned 1,120km (695 miles) south-southwest of San Diego in southern California, bringing dangerous surf to the area and Mexico’s Baja coast. Even without coastal watches or warnings, updrafts from Marie will hit southwest Mexico, Baja California and Southern California over the next few days, creating pounding surf and dangerous rip currents.