First Alert Forecast: Kauai County under a Tropical Storm Watch and all under a Flood Watch

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hurricane Lowell is currently churning as a major storm about 600 miles southwest of Kauai. While trade winds are starting to shift, weather conditions will deteriorate starting Sunday evening as the storm accelerates northward.

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Lowell is forecast to make its closest approach late Monday night, passing just west of Kauai’s coastal waters, likely as a Category 2 or 3 hurricane.

A Tropical Storm Watch is currently active for both Kauai and Niihau.

Even though the storm’s center is expected to stay offshore, the impacts will stretch across the state. The biggest concern for everyone is heavy rainfall and widespread flash flooding, with a statewide Flood Watch in place from Sunday evening through Tuesday. Tropical moisture drawn up from the south could bring 2 to 8 inches of rain statewide, with Kauai potentially seeing localized totals topping 12 inches.

Beyond the rain, expect strong, shifting winds out of the east-southeast that will pick up Sunday night, alongside high surf along south and west shores, and a risk of short-lived, fast-moving waterspouts and squalls near Kauai and Niihau as the storm passes with instability associated with Lowell.

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A hurricane swell will max out on Monday as surf up to 15 feet on south shores could be coming our warning reaching warning levels.

Conditions should clear up significantly later in the week as high pressure returns Thursday through Saturday, bringing back typical, drier trade wind weather. However, because a slight shift in Lowell’s track or intensity could change these impacts drastically, everyone across the islands should stay prepared and keep a close eye on updates.

View the latest weather conditions here.

Download the HNN Weather app from the Apple App Store or Google Play for the latest updates from your First Alert Weather Team: chief meteorologist Jennifer Robbins and weather anchors Guy Hagi, Dan Cooke, Ben Gutierrez, and Billy V.

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