Category 4 Lowell Nears Hawaii With 145 mph Winds as Kauai Faces Likely Watches
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Sep 5
Category 4 Lowell Nears Hawaii With 145 mph Winds as Kauai Faces Likely Watches
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Sep 5
Summary
Lowell was 635 miles south-southwest of Kauai at 11 a.m. Hawaii time Saturday, and forecasters said watches will likely be issued later in the day for Kauai County and parts of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
Most forecast models now take the hurricane 100 to 200 nautical miles west of Kauai on Labor Day, but the National Hurricane Center nudged its track east after better-performing models pointed closer to the island.
145 mph Lowell is expected to remain near major-hurricane strength at closest approach, with any eastward shift raising the risk of stronger winds in Kauai's right-front quadrant; Lihue's chance of tropical-storm-force winds rose to 15%.
Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches is forecast for much of Hawaii, with more than 10 inches possible on Kauai and the Big Island, while storm surge could reach 1 to 3 feet in Kauai County and dangerous surf and rip currents are expected statewide.