Hawaii Issues Warning as Major Hurricane Lowell Nears: Live Tracker Maps
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. A tropical storm warning has been issued for Hawaii 's offshore waters as powerful Hurricane Lowell churns through the Central Pacific, prompting forecasters to warn of strengthening winds, building seas and dangerous marine conditions around the islands through the end of the week.
As of the most recent update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on Wednesday, Hurricane Lowell had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a major Category 4 hurricane. Lowell is likely to strengthen further on Wednesday, the NHC said, and will remain a powerful hurricane through the end of the week.
Related Story Hurricane Karina Live Tracker Maps Show Trajectory of Storm Read More on Weather The storm is generating large swells and hazardous conditions that have triggered a series of marine and wind advisories across the state. On Tuesday night, the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Honolulu issued a tropical storm warning for Hawaii's offshore waters, warning of "significant" seas up to 18 feet.
"Swells generated by Lowell are likely to affect portions of the Hawaiian Islands beginning on Wednesday," the NHC said. "These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions."
Animated weather footage from windy.com illustrated the extent of the large waves.
As of the most recent NHC update, Lowell was around 470 miles south-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii. The storm was moving west at 12 mph.
No. Current forecasts from the NHC show Lowell's eye passing south of Hawaii as a major hurricane. It will continue churning out to sea through at least Sunday night and is expected to retain its major hurricane status through then.
Lowell arrives after a notably active hurricane season for Hawaii, underscoring that the eye of a tropical cyclone does not need to make landfall to create dangerous conditions across the islands. Earlier storms this year brought impacts ranging from heavy rainfall and flooding concerns to damaging surf and hazardous marine conditions, even when their centers remained offshore.
Forecasters are emphasizing a similar message with Lowell: While the hurricane's forecast track keeps it away from a direct strike on Hawaii, its large wind field and powerful swells are already prompting warnings for offshore waters and advisories across multiple islands.
Animated weather footage from windy.com shows the storm trekking south of Hawaii on Wednesday. Although the eye of the storm won't make landfall on any of the Hawaiian Islands, meteorologists at the NWS office in Honolulu have issued several wind advisories.
Eastern winds between 25 and 35 mph with some gusts reaching up to 55 mph are expected across parts of Kahoolawe, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and the Big Island between noon local time Wednesday and 6 a.m. Friday.
"Winds will be strongest through passes and higher terrain of the North and South Kohala Districts, and near South Point on the Big Island, through the central valley on Maui, and the higher elevations of Maui County," the advisory said. "Winds this strong can tear off shingles, knock down tree branches, blow away tents and awnings and make it difficult to steer, especially for drivers of high profile vehicles."
The advisory urged people to remain alert for falling tree branches and to prepare for power outages.
Hawaii's hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 , aligning with the Central Pacific hurricane season monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Central Pacific Hurricane Center. While tropical cyclones can occasionally form outside those dates, the vast majority develop during this six-month period when ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions are most favorable. Hurricane activity in the Central Pacific typically peaks between July and October, with September often among the busiest months.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Anna Skinner and Dave Siminoff .
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