Hurricane Lowell lashes Hawaii as warnings remain in place for Kauai, Niihau and Oahu

Hurricane Lowell reached its closest point to the main Hawaiian Islands around midnight HST and began moving away early Tuesday, but forecasters said dangerous conditions were still spreading across the state. The National Weather Service in Honolulu said a hurricane warning remained in effect for Kauai and Niihau, while Oahu stayed under a tropical storm warning as the storm passed west of the islands.

The warning area covered multiple districts on Kauai, including the island’s east, north, south, southwest and mountain zones, as well as Niihau. On Oahu, the tropical storm warning applied to Central Oahu, East Honolulu, Ewa Plain, Honolulu Metro, Koolau Leeward, Koolau Windward, the North Shore, Olomana, the Waianae Coast and the Waianae Mountains.

At 10:58 p.m. HST Monday, the weather service said Lowell was about 140 miles west-southwest of Lihue and about 210 miles west of Honolulu, with maximum sustained winds near 110 mph and movement north-northeast at 18 mph. By 2:39 a.m. Tuesday, the storm had weakened slightly to 105 mph sustained winds as it moved farther northwest of the islands.

Damaging winds, flooding rain and surf remain the main threats

Forecasters warned that damaging winds, heavy flooding rainfall and extremely dangerous surf could continue through Tuesday morning and possibly longer. The local statement said storm preparations should already have been completed and emphasized that winds were already affecting Kauai, Niihau and Oahu as Lowell passed.

The National Weather Service later said the storm had made its closest encounter to Hawaii and was beginning to move away, but stressed that residents should not let their guard down. Even after the center moved past the islands, hazardous conditions were expected to continue across portions of the state through the morning and, in some areas, into the day.

Preliminary storm reports released by the weather service showed some of the strongest winds on Kauai, with gusts topping 90 mph at Puu Lua and 84 mph at Lihue Airport. The event summary also said Kauai and Niihau experienced the strongest winds and highest wind impacts statewide.