Lowell Looms: A Major Hurricane Bends Toward Hawaiʻi

The tropical Pacific is unusually busy this week, with three hurricanes spinning across the basin at the same time. One has been grabbing headlines near California over the past couple of days — but it’s a storm far to our west that could become a much more serious concern for land, and it’s the one Hawaiʻi needs to watch: Lowell.

Hurricane Marie Weakening

Marie strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday evening and is expected to hold its intensity for the next few days as it drifts north, eventually winding down to a tropical storm over open water hundreds of miles off California. High-altitude winds may still tap into some of Marie’s tropical moisture and deliver beneficial rain showers to Southern California, southern Nevada and the western Four Corners this weekend. Flooding is not currently expected for SoCal.

Hurricane Karina No land threat

Karina has been the most striking of the three on satellite imagery — a powerful major hurricane, with sustained winds near 115 mph as of Thursday morning. Impressive as it looks, it poses no threat to land and is expected to weaken quickly this weekend as it tracks well north of Hawaiʻi.

Hurricane Lowell Watch closely

Lowell is the one to keep your eyes on. The official forecast now bends the storm into a sharp right turn toward Hawaiʻi this weekend. At roughly 145 mph, Lowell is a formidable Category 4. Whether it will directly affect the islands or make landfall is still uncertain this far out, but residents and visitors should be paying close attention over the next few days.

That track means Lowell could be approaching Hawaiʻi early next week as a major hurricane. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are careful to note that the long-range outlook remains, in their words, “unusually uncertain” at this point.

Watch the forecast closely and make sure your hurricane plans and supply kits are ready to go. — National Hurricane Center, public advisory

A few smart moves now

• Refresh your kit. Several days of water and non-perishable food per person, medications, flashlights, batteries, and some cash on hand.
• Know your zone. If you’re near the coast, a stream or a gulch, decide now where you’d go and don’t wait for conditions to deteriorate.
• Secure the outside. Have a plan for lanai furniture, umbrellas and anything the wind could pick up.
• Follow official channels. Lean on the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense — the track can shift quickly.

We’ll keep an eye on Lowell and update as the forecast sharpens. Take care of each other out there. 🤙