Hawaii residents told to expect tropical storm conditions as Hurricane Lowell passes to the west
Officials in Hawaii urged residents and visitors to prepare for heavy rains, flooding and possibly mudslides as Hurricane Lowell, a major Category 3 storm, prompted the National Hurricane Center to issue a tropical storm warning for two islands on Sunday. [ABC13 Eyewitness News]
Hawaii's civil defense authorities on Sunday issued tropical storm warnings for Kauai and Niihau as Hurricane Lowell approached the islands from the southwest. The National Hurricane Center in Miami classified Lowell as a major Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph, positioned approximately 535-545 miles south-southwest of Lihue at the time of the alert. The storm was advancing northward at a relatively slow pace of 6 mph and was expected to pass west of the islands late Monday and into Tuesday.
Meteorologists warned of significant precipitation across the Hawaiian archipelago, with Kauai and surrounding areas facing the heaviest rainfall. Forecasters predicted between 6 and 10 inches of rain on Kauai, though some localized areas could receive as much as 14 inches. The Big Island faced a somewhat less severe outlook, with anticipated rainfall of 4 to 8 inches across most of the island, though certain zones could accumulate up to 12 inches. The combination of these rainfall amounts posed serious risks for flash flooding and ground destabilization across the islands.
Storm surge and tidal effects posed additional hazards to coastal communities. Officials cautioned that tidal fluctuations combined with storm surge could inundate typically dry coastal zones with water levels reaching approximately 3 feet above normal. Hurricane-force winds extended outward 50 miles from Lowell's center, while tropical storm-force winds spread across a much wider area of 175 miles, the National Hurricane Center stated.
Emergency management officials encouraged residents to take precautions ahead of the storm's arrival. The Kauai Emergency Management Agency recommended that residents ensure their vehicles had sufficient fuel, keep electronic devices charged, obtain necessary medications and gather adequate supplies of water and food. Authorities also advised islanders to prepare to remain home for multiple days following Lowell's passage.
In Lihue, a community of 8,000 residents that houses Kauai's primary airport, people rushed to purchase supplies as stores faced heavy demand. Real estate agent Lori Benkert, who oversees numerous properties on the island, acquired additional propane for grilling purposes in anticipation of potential power outages. She also secured two residences on the western portion of the island. "We'll lose some power, probably have some trees, a bunch of tree limbs coming down," Benkert said, adding that most residents would likely remain sheltered in place.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Marie, a Category 1 system positioned about 695 miles south-southwest of San Diego, generated hazardous ocean conditions off the coasts of Baja California and Southern California. That storm maintained maximum sustained winds of 75 mph while moving northwest at 7 mph.
