Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii · Jeff Kubina · CC BY-SA 2.0 · cropped
The National Hurricane Center, writing as the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, said in Advisory 37 at 11:00 p.m. Hawaii time Friday that Hurricane Lowell is a Category 4 storm with 155 mph sustained winds, located about 625 miles south-southwest of Lihue and 610 miles south-southwest of Honolulu. There are still no coastal watches or warnings, and the center said watches could be required Saturday for the westernmost Hawaiian Islands.
If you are on Kauai this Labor Day weekend, or you still have a flight into Lihue, treat the next 48 hours as a watch window rather than a reason to assume the island will take a direct hit. Rebuild outdoor plans around official products, not social media tracks, and start with the practical Kauai page travelers actually use: things to do in Kauai.
The independent local account is in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, which reported that Governor Josh Green issued a statewide emergency proclamation Thursday as Lowell threatened a sharp turn toward Kauai.
- Now: Category 4, 155 mph, about 625 miles south-southwest of Lihue as of 11:00 p.m. HST Friday (NHC Advisory 37).
- Watches: None in effect. NHC said watches could be required Saturday for the westernmost islands.
- Closest approach: NHC forecasts Lowell near major hurricane strength close to western Hawaii late Monday and Monday night, with Kauai County the highest concern.
- Rain: Kauai and the Big Island 3 to 6 inches, locally over 10. Maui 2 to 4 inches, locally 8.
- Beaches: NHC warns of life-threatening surf and rip currents for several days across many islands.
Category 4 Lowell Sits South of Kauai
Advisory 37 is the current official snapshot, not a landfall call. Air Force Hurricane Hunter data put maximum sustained winds near 155 mph, with a central pressure of 925 millibars. Hurricane-force winds extend up to 60 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 160 miles. Lowell was moving west at about 7 mph, with that general motion expected to slow during the next day.
NHC said some fluctuations in strength are possible over the next day, followed by a gradual weakening trend early next week. That weakening still leaves a powerful hurricane. The discussion that accompanies Advisory 37 says Lowell is forecast to remain a powerful hurricane as it approaches the westernmost Hawaiian Islands, even as shear increases.
NHC Expects a Sharp North Turn on Sunday
The travel problem is the turn, not today’s westbound track. NHC said a mid to upper-level low north of the islands is expected to weaken the steering ridge, causing Lowell to turn sharply north or north-northeast on Sunday and then accelerate. That is the motion that would bring the hurricane close to the western main Hawaiian Islands Monday and Monday night.
NHC is explicit about uncertainty. The exact location of that turn depends on the low relative to the hurricane, and an eastward deviation would raise wind and surge risk for Kauai County. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser quoted National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Foster saying Hurricane Karina, well east of Hawaii and weakening, could pull Lowell more northeast. That is a forecast relationship, not a confirmed track change. Use NHC’s next advisory, not a single model map, before you cancel or keep a Kauai booking.
What Kauai Travelers Should Do Now
Do not wait for a watch to check the basics. Confirm your Lihue flight status with the airline, screenshot hotel cancellation terms, and pack as if you may spend extra indoor hours. A Hawaii packing list that includes rain layers, charged batteries, and medicines is more useful this weekend than a beach bag. If you are already on island, know your lodging’s shelter plan and the county alert channel before Sunday afternoon, when NHC says heavy rain may begin.
The Star-Advertiser reported that Kauai is seeing a holiday-weekend visitor influx and that the Kauai Marathon is scheduled for Sunday. Those two facts raise crowding risk if weather turns. If your plans are flexible, shifting a Sunday outdoor event or a Monday Lihue departure is cheaper than doing it after a watch is posted. Hawaii is still working through earlier storms this season, including Tropical Storm Moke’s park closures. Lowell is a new stream, not a rewrite of Moke or Lala.
Surf Risk Hits Hawaiian Beaches First
You do not need Lowell to make landfall for the ocean to become dangerous. NHC said swells from the hurricane are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions during the next several days across many of the Hawaiian Islands, and that those swells are likely to increase early next week. The Star-Advertiser reported a high surf advisory for south and southeast shores, with breaking waves around 12 feet, and said Kauai faced an extreme surf and storm-surge risk on Monday according to the National Weather Service.
That is the first traveler decision for people already on Oahu, Maui, or the Big Island, not only Kauai. Stay out of the water when local offices say so. Boat tours, snorkel trips, and Na Pali coast excursions should be confirmed with the operator the morning of, then dropped if the surf products tighten. A scenic coast is not a safe coast this weekend.
Watches Could Arrive Saturday
NHC’s key message is blunt: watches will likely be issued Saturday, and residents should have a hurricane plan in place. A watch is not a warning. It means hurricane conditions are possible, and it is the official cue to lock in lodging, fuel, prescriptions, and a way to receive county alerts. Governor Green’s emergency proclamation, as reported by the Star-Advertiser, is already in force to support preparation. It is not a travel ban.
Until a watch or warning is posted, do not invent airport closures or airline waivers. Check Hawaiian, Alaska, Southwest, and any other carrier on your ticket, and do not assume Lihue, Honolulu, or neighbor-island hops are canceled because a Category 4 storm exists 600 miles away. The useful next step is the 5:00 a.m. HST advisory cycle Saturday: if NHC posts a watch for Kauai County, treat Monday travel as contingent and rebook while seats remain.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Are on Kauai through Monday | Watch NHC Saturday. Confirm lodging shelter plans and drop ocean activities. |
| Fly into Lihue this weekend | Check the airline now. Keep plans flexible until a watch is issued or cleared. |
| Are on Oahu, Maui, or the Big Island | Respect surf and rip-current products. Do not treat Kauai risk as your only risk. |
| Have a Sunday outdoor event | Have an indoor backup. Rain may begin Sunday afternoon per NHC. |
Saturday is the watch gate. NHC said watches could be required then for the westernmost islands. Recheck Advisory updates before you leave for the airport.
Sunday afternoon is the rain gate. NHC said heavy rain may begin then and continue into next week, with flash flooding and mudslides in steep terrain.
Late Monday is the closest-approach window. NHC forecasts Lowell near major hurricane strength close to western Hawaii then. Kauai County is the named concern.
Is Hurricane Lowell going to hit Kauai?
NHC has not issued a landfall forecast. Advisory 37 places Lowell 625 miles south-southwest of Lihue and forecasts a close approach to western Hawaii late Monday, with Kauai County the highest concern.
Are there hurricane watches for Hawaii right now?
No. NHC said no coastal watches or warnings are in effect and that watches could be required Saturday for the westernmost islands.
Should I cancel a Kauai trip for Labor Day?
Not automatically. Confirm your airline and hotel terms now, then decide after Saturday’s watch decision. Kauai has more at stake than Honolulu if the turn comes east.
Is it safe to swim in Hawaii this weekend?
NHC warns of life-threatening surf and rip currents for several days on many islands. Follow local beach products even if the storm center stays offshore.
