{"id":5650,"date":"2026-09-07T16:11:54","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T16:11:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/?p=5650"},"modified":"2026-09-07T16:11:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T16:11:54","slug":"hawaii-hurricane-lowell-sep-7-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/news-events\/hawaii-hurricane-lowell-sep-7-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawaii Hurricane Lowell: Tropical Storm Watch Issued for Oahu as Category 3 Approaches Kauai"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure style=\"margin:0 0 24px 0;border:1px solid #d8dde3;border-radius:6px;padding:8px;background:#ffffff;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" \n  src=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ialert-hawaii-hurricane-lowell-satellite-forecast-cone-oahu-watch-september-7-2026.jpg\" \n  alt=\"Hawaii Hurricane Lowell satellite image and forecast cone at 5 AM HST September 7, 2026: the Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds is 375 \n  miles southwest of Lihue and forecast to pass near or just west of Niihau tonight, with a Hurricane Warning (red) for Kauai and Niihau and a \n  Tropical Storm Watch (yellow) for Oahu.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"891\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:4px;\" \/><figcaption \n  style=\"font-size:14px;line-height:1.45;color:#555555;margin-top:10px;padding:0 4px 4px 4px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/hurricanes.php\">iAlert<br \/>\n  hurricane tracker<\/a> satellite view of Hawaii Hurricane Lowell at 5 AM HST Monday, September 7, 2026. The red M marker is Lowell as a Category 3<br \/>\n  major hurricane southwest of the islands; orange H markers show a weakening hurricane passing near or just west of Niihau early Tuesday; green S<br \/>\n  markers show a tropical storm curving northwest and west from Wednesday through Saturday. Kauai and Niihau are outlined in red for the Hurricane<br \/>\n  Warning and Oahu in yellow for the Tropical Storm Watch. Data: NOAA NHC\/CPHC and NOAA satellite imagery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hawaii Hurricane Lowell is bearing down on the Hawaiian Islands as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, and the<br \/>\n  National Hurricane Center issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Oahu with its 5:00 AM HST advisory on Monday, September 7, 2026. A Hurricane Warning<br \/>\n  remains in effect for Kauai County. At 5 AM the center was about 375 miles southwest of Lihue and 405 miles southwest of Honolulu, moving<br \/>\n  north-northeast at 14 mph. The core of Lowell is forecast to pass near or just west of Niihau tonight and early Tuesday, still at hurricane<br \/>\n  strength, before turning northwest and slowing by early Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key points:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hawaii Hurricane Lowell holds 115 mph sustained winds and a 950 mb central pressure as a Category 3 storm as of 5 AM HST September 7, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Kauai County, including Kauai and Niihau, and for Papahanaumokuakea from Nihoa to French Frigate<br \/>\n  Shoals.<\/li>\n<li>A Tropical Storm Watch is now in effect for Oahu. Any further eastward shift in the forecast would require a Tropical Storm Warning for<br \/>\n  Oahu.<\/li>\n<li>Hurricane conditions are expected in Kauai County beginning this afternoon or evening. Tropical storm conditions are possible on Oahu beginning<br \/>\n  this afternoon.<\/li>\n<li>Kauai faces an additional 6 to 10 inches of rain with up to 16 inches possible. Significant flash flooding and mudslides are likely on Kauai and<br \/>\n  parts of the Big Island.<\/li>\n<li>Storm surge of 2 to 4 feet is possible along the south coast of Kauai and around Niihau, and several tornadoes are possible near Kauai and<br \/>\n  Niihau this afternoon through tonight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #000000; padding: 20px 24px; margin: 20px 0; border-radius: 4px;\">\n<p style=\"color: #ffffff; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0 0 6px 0;\">Get Severe Weather Alerts for Your Location<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: rgba(255,255,255,0.9); margin: 0 0 14px 0;\">When any NWS watch, warning, or advisory is issued for your area, iAlert sends you an<br \/>\n  immediate notification by email, text message, or phone call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.<\/p>\n<p>  <a href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/services\/severe-weather-alerts.php\" style=\"background: #C41226; color: #ffffff; padding: 10px 22px; text-decoration: \n  none; border-radius: 3px; font-weight: bold; display: inline-block;\">Sign Up for Severe Weather Alerts &rarr;<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<h2>Hawaii Hurricane Lowell: Current Track and Watches in Effect<\/h2>\n<p>Hawaii Hurricane Lowell remains a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with a minimum central pressure of 950 mb.<br \/>\n  Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds reach out up to 175 miles. Forecasters at the<br \/>\n  National Hurricane Center, which is issuing the Central Pacific Hurricane Center advisories on Lowell, describe a well-organized hurricane with a<br \/>\n  distinct eye and cold cloud tops in the eyewall. An Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to fly into the storm later this morning for a<br \/>\n  better wind estimate.<\/p>\n<p>The Oahu watch follows a track change. The northward turn that forecasters expected has been delayed, and the model guidance shifted about 30<br \/>\n  nautical miles east of the previous forecast. The new NHC track follows that trend and brings the hurricane closer to the western Hawaiian Islands.<br \/>\n  A north-northeastward to northward motion at a faster forward speed is expected through Tuesday, with the core passing near or just west of Niihau<br \/>\n  tonight and early Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Gradual weakening is expected today and Tuesday as Lowell encounters increasing wind shear and cooler water, but the NHC forecast keeps Hawaii<br \/>\n  Hurricane Lowell at hurricane strength as it passes the islands: 110 mph at 2 PM Monday and 100 mph at 2 AM Tuesday. Rapid weakening is forecast<br \/>\n  once the storm moves north of the main Hawaiian Islands, with Lowell dropping to a tropical storm by Wednesday and turning west as it merges with an<br \/>\n  upper-level low a few hundred miles north of the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.<\/p>\n<p>Interests elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands and the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument should monitor the progress of Hawaii Hurricane<br \/>\n  Lowell closely. Hurricane conditions are expected in Papahanaumokuakea between Nihoa and French Frigate Shoals tonight, with tropical storm<br \/>\n  conditions there beginning this afternoon.<\/p>\n<h2>Hawaii Hurricane Lowell Hazards: Wind, Rainfall, Storm Surge, and Tornadoes<\/h2>\n<p>Wind is the headline hazard for Kauai County. Damaging hurricane conditions are expected to begin in Kauai County tonight and continue through<br \/>\n  Tuesday morning, with tropical storm conditions arriving later today. Wind speeds atop hills and mountains and on windward and leeward slopes are<br \/>\n  often up to 30 percent stronger than near-surface winds, a serious concern for residents and visitors in elevated terrain on Kauai. Tropical storm<br \/>\n  conditions are possible on Oahu beginning this afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Rainfall from Hawaii Hurricane Lowell will increase in coverage across the islands today and continue through Wednesday. The NHC forecasts<br \/>\n  additional totals of 6 to 10 inches on Kauai with maximum totals of 16 inches possible. The Big Island can expect 4 to 8 inches with isolated totals<br \/>\n  of 12 inches, and Oahu and Maui County 4 to 8 inches with isolated totals of 10 inches. This rainfall may produce significant flash flooding and<br \/>\n  mudslides, especially across Kauai County and portions of the Big Island.<\/p>\n<p>Storm surge along the south coast of Kauai and around Niihau could reach 2 to 4 feet above ground level if the peak surge coincides with high<br \/>\n  tide, with up to 1 foot on Oahu. The deepest water is expected along the immediate coast near and to the right of the center, where large and<br \/>\n  tide, with up to 1 foot on Oahu. The deepest water is expected along the immediate coast near and to the right of the center, where large and<br \/>\n  destructive waves will accompany the surge. Large damaging waves are expected on exposed portions of Kauai County and are likely to produce coastal<br \/>\n  flooding and inundation of low-lying areas through early Tuesday. Swells from Lowell will also cause life-threatening surf and rip currents across<br \/>\n  many of the Hawaiian Islands over the next several days.<\/p>\n<p>Tornadoes are possible near Kauai and Niihau this afternoon through tonight, and a few tornadoes are possible across the remainder of the<br \/>\n  Hawaiian Islands as the outer bands move through.<\/p>\n<h2>Meteorologist&#8217;s Take<\/h2>\n<p>A 30 nautical mile shift sounds small, but it is the whole story this morning. Hawaii Hurricane Lowell has a tropical-storm-force wind field 350<br \/>\n  miles across, and its track runs nearly parallel to the island chain. Every eastward nudge trades a near miss for a direct hit. The NHC has already<br \/>\n  said one more adjustment of the same size would put Oahu under a Tropical Storm Warning, which is why the watch deserves to be treated as a<br \/>\n  preparation deadline rather than a heads-up.<\/p>\n<p>Kauai adds its own multiplier. The island&#8217;s steep volcanic terrain forces moist air upward and wrings out far more rain than the same storm would<br \/>\n  drop over open ocean, which is how 6 to 10 inches becomes 16. On those slopes, flash flooding and debris flows can develop with very little<br \/>\n  warning, sometimes before the strongest winds arrive. A weakening hurricane is still a wet one, and the rain threat outlasts the wind threat by a<br \/>\n  full day.<\/p>\n<p>The tornado threat in the outer rainbands is the hazard most likely to be overlooked. Tropical cyclones spawn tornadoes well away from the core,<br \/>\n  and with Lowell tracking past populated islands, even a brief tornado in a neighborhood can be dangerous. It is not the headline wind number, but it<br \/>\n  belongs on the list.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Stay Safe During Hawaii Hurricane Lowell<\/h2>\n<p>If you are in Kauai County under the Hurricane Warning, the NHC says preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.<br \/>\n  Move to a sturdy interior room away from windows and doors before winds increase this afternoon. Do not attempt to travel once winds pick up, as<br \/>\n  debris and flooding will make roads dangerous. Heed all evacuation orders from local emergency management officials immediately.<\/p>\n<p>Flash flooding and mudslides are the hazards most likely to catch residents off guard during Hawaii Hurricane Lowell. Never walk, swim, or drive<br \/>\n  through floodwaters. Six inches of moving water can knock a person down, and two feet can carry away most vehicles. Stay away from streams, drainage<br \/>\n  channels, and low-lying coastal areas through Wednesday, and stay off exposed shorelines where damaging waves and surge are expected through early<br \/>\n  Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>On Oahu, treat the Tropical Storm Watch as a call to act now. Secure outdoor furniture and loose items, charge devices, stock emergency supplies,<br \/>\n  and monitor official guidance closely. If a Tropical Storm Warning or Hurricane Warning is issued for Oahu, be prepared to act quickly. Monitor<br \/>\n  your <a href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/analysis.php#alerts\">active weather alerts<\/a> through iAlert so you receive immediate notification of any change<br \/>\n  to the watches or warnings affecting your area, and follow the storm on the <a href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/hurricanes.php\">iAlert hurricane<br \/>\n  tracker<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Hawaii Hurricane Lowell FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3>Where is the highest risk from Hawaii Hurricane Lowell?<\/h3>\n<p>Kauai County faces the highest risk. Hurricane conditions are expected to begin this afternoon or evening on September 7, 2026, and damaging<br \/>\n  hurricane conditions continue through Tuesday morning. Kauai and Niihau are under a Hurricane Warning, with storm surge of 2 to 4 feet and rainfall<br \/>\n  up to 16 inches forecast.<\/p>\n<h3>How strong are Hurricane Lowell&#8217;s winds?<\/h3>\n<p>Maximum sustained winds are 115 mph with higher gusts as of the 5 AM HST advisory on September 7. The NHC forecasts 110 mph at 2 PM Monday and<br \/>\n  100 mph at 2 AM Tuesday as the core passes near Niihau. Winds atop hills and mountains can run up to 30 percent stronger.<\/p>\n<h3>Are tornadoes expected from Hawaii Hurricane Lowell?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes. Tornadoes are possible near Kauai and Niihau this afternoon through tonight. A few tornadoes are also possible across the remainder<br \/>\n  of the Hawaiian Islands as outer rainbands move through.<\/p>\n<h3>When will Hawaii Hurricane Lowell affect Oahu?<\/h3>\n<p>Tropical storm conditions are possible on Oahu beginning this afternoon on September 7, 2026. The NHC says any additional eastward shift in the<br \/>\n  forecast would require a Tropical Storm Warning for Oahu, possibly as soon as later today.<\/p>\n<h3>How did Hawaii Hurricane Lowell get here?<\/h3>\n<p>Lowell reached Category 5 twice last week before weakening and turning north toward the islands. See the earlier iAlert coverage: <a \n  href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/news-events\/hawaii-hurricane-lowell-sep-5-2026\/\">Lowell at 155 mph turning toward Kauai<\/a> and <a \n  href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/news-events\/hawaii-hurricane-lowell-sep-6-2026\/\">Lowell holding Category 3 as watches were issued<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/archive\/2026\/ep12\/ep122026.public.046.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NWS National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Lowell Advisory Number<br \/>\n  46, 5:00 AM HST September 7, 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/archive\/2026\/ep12\/ep122026.discus.046.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NWS National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Lowell Forecast<br \/>\n  Discussion and Key Messages Number 46, 5:00 AM HST September 7, 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhc.noaa.gov\/archive\/2026\/LOWELL.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NWS National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Lowell advisory archive<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #000000; padding: 20px 24px; margin: 20px 0; border-radius: 4px;\">\n<p style=\"color: #ffffff; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0 0 6px 0;\">Get Severe Weather Alerts for Your Location<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: rgba(255,255,255,0.9); margin: 0 0 14px 0;\">When any NWS watch, warning, or advisory is issued for your area, iAlert sends you an<br \/>\n  immediate notification by email, text message, or phone call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.<\/p>\n<p>  <a href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/services\/severe-weather-alerts.php\" style=\"background: #C41226; color: #ffffff; padding: 10px 22px; text-decoration: \n  none; border-radius: 3px; font-weight: bold; display: inline-block;\">Sign Up for Severe Weather Alerts &rarr;<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hawaii Hurricane Lowell, a 115 mph Category 3 storm, threatens Kauai with a Hurricane Warning and Oahu with a Tropical Storm Watch as of Sept.<span class=\"more\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/news-events\/hawaii-hurricane-lowell-sep-7-2026\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"Hawaii Hurricane Lowell","rank_math_title":"Hawaii Hurricane Lowell: Dangerous Cat 3 Nears Kauai","rank_math_description":" Hawaii Hurricane Lowell, a 115 mph Category 3, puts Kauai under a Hurricane Warning and Oahu under a Tropical Storm Watch on Sept. 7, 2026."},"categories":[719],"tags":[96],"class_list":["post-5650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-events","tag-hurricane"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5650"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5650\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5656,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5650\/revisions\/5656"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ialert.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}