Hawaii news update
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Hurricane Lowell, a Category 3 storm with 115 mph winds.
The storm's outer bands already flooded Oahu's west shore, closed schools and airports.
Background
Hurricane Lowell intensified into a major Category 3 storm as it moved north-northwest toward the Hawaiian Islands in early September 2026. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green declared a statewide state of emergency on Sept. 3 to free up resources and activate National Guard units. The setup drew comparisons to 1992's Hurricane Iniki, Hawaii's worst storm on record, though forecasts indicated Lowell would stay far enough offshore to avoid a direct hit on Kauai.
How it unfolded
- Sep 3, 2026Hawaii Gov. Josh Green declared a state of emergency for the entire state, activating Hawaii National Guard units and deploying six high-water vehicles to Kauai.
- Sep 6, 2026Kauai County officials briefed the public as Hurricane Lowell's outer fringes reached the islands; the county opened refuge areas with the American Red Cross and issued tropical storm watches for Kauai and Niihau.
- Sep 6, 2026The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for Kauai County, meaning hurricane conditions were possible within 48 hours.
- Sep 7, 2026The National Hurricane Center posted a hurricane warning for Kauai County as Lowell, a Category 3 storm with 115 mph sustained winds, moved toward the area; Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines planned to suspend flights in Lihue as early as 11 a.m. Monday.
- Sep 7, 2026Officials shut down all lanes of Farrington Highway for several hours after high waves washed sand onto the roadway; at the Mākaha Beach Cabanas, waves reached the first floor, water entered three to four ground-floor units, and the complex lost power.
- Sep 8, 2026Schools on Kauai, Niihau and Oahu closed Tuesday as thousands on Kauai lost power; Lowell's core moved north-northwest of Niihau, emergency sirens sounded on Niihau, and Lihue Airport and commercial ports closed.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami said the situation felt familiar to those who lived through Hurricane Iniki and urged residents to be off the roads by midday Monday, saying the system had veered 'too close for comfort.'
- Official
- The National Weather Service said 'preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,' while the National Hurricane Center warned of significant flash flooding, mudslides, a storm surge up to 3 feet, and possible tornadoes near Kauai and Niihau.
- Caution
- Hawaii Emergency Management Agency warned of wind gusts up to 74 mph in Kauai County and up to 40 mph on Oahu, and Hawaii officials cautioned about possible power outages from high winds or flash flooding.
Still unverified
A video from West Oahu shows high surf reaching the first floor of the cabanas, where three people appeared to be overcome by waves; two individuals were seen on the sand by the end of the video, but the whereabouts of the third person remain unconfirmed.