3 Hurricanes Batter Hawaii in 1 Month as Record El Niño Fuels Late-Season Risk
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 29
3 Hurricanes Batter Hawaii in 1 Month as Record El Niño Fuels Late-Season Risk
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 29
Summary
Three hurricanes reached or threatened Hawaii in the past month, with Lowell and Lala bringing flooding, power outages, washed-out roads and destroyed homes before Nolo veered away.
Record El Niño conditions and unusually warm Pacific waters around the islands have made storms more likely to form and intensify instead of weakening before reaching Hawaii.
Lowell left many without power for days, cut running water for thousands and displaced dozens of families; officials said it destroyed 10 homes and heavily damaged at least 67 more.
The damage has hit tourism-dependent areas especially hard, with residents saying they are struggling to recover and worried about making ends meet.
Hawaii still faces elevated danger through November, with forecasters warning El Niño will keep the risk of late-season eastern and central Pacific storms high.
Why did Hawaii’s usual hurricane defenses fail as Lala and Lowell battered Kauaʻi and the Big Island during a record El Niño?
With Hawaii’s season still active through November, how prepared are island communities for another storm before power, water, and roads fully recover?