First Alert Forecast: Lowell peaked at 160 mph earlier today after eye replacement now weakening slightly back to Category 4 (155 mph winds) as of 11 pm

News admin September 5, 2026 0 Comments

First Alert Forecast: Lowell peaked at 160 mph earlier today after eye replacement now weakening slightly back to Category 4 (155 mph winds) as of 11 pm

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hurricane Lowell has weakened slightly but remains a powerful Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph and a central pressure of 925 mb.

As of 11 PM Friday, Lowell was about 625 miles southwest of Lihue and 610 miles west-southwest of Honolulu, moving west at about 7 mph.

The biggest change in the forecast is Lowell’s expected turn toward the north. The hurricane should continue moving generally west for now, but its forward speed is expected to slow over the next day before it makes a sharp turn north to north-northeast sometime Saturday into Sunday.

The exact timing and location of that turn will be critical for Hawaii, so interests across the islands should continue closely monitoring the forecast.

Watches could be needed for portions of the westernmost islands as early as Saturday.

Lowell is expected to weaken gradually, although it will likely remain a hurricane through the weekend. Hurricane-force winds currently extend about 60 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reach out about 160 miles.

For Hawaii, the main concerns are heavy rain and dangerous ocean conditions. Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches are possible on Kauai and the Big Island, with locally higher amounts exceeding 10 inches. Maui could see 2 to 4 inches, with isolated amounts up to 8 inches, while the other islands could see 1 to 2 inches, with locally higher totals.

This rainfall could lead to flash flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain. Even if Lowell stays offshore, large swells will likely produce life-threatening surf and dangerous rip currents across many Hawaiian beaches over the next several days. The track remains uncertain, so this is a situation where small changes in Lowell’s turn could significantly change the impacts for Hawaii.

According to the National Hurricane Center: Lowell is forecast to be near major hurricane strength when it moves close to the western Hawaiian Islands late Monday and Monday night. There are risks of storm surge and wind impacts for portions of Hawaii, particularly Kauai County, early next week and watches will likely be issued on Saturday. Residents should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place and follow advice from local officials.

Heavy rainfall will begin to impact the Hawaiian Islands Sunday afternoon/evening and continue through early next week. This rainfall could produce flash flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain especially on Kauai and Niihau and the outer bands may even reach Hawaii Island.

Swells from Lowell are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions in portions of the Hawaiian Islands during the next several days. These swells are likely to increase early next week.

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.