HONOLULU — The National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Kauai County — including Kauai and Niihau — and a Hurricane Watch for portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Nihoa to French Frigate Shoals on Saturday evening, Sept. 5, 2026, as Category 4 Hurricane Lowell (EP122026) continued a slow west-northwest track that is forecast to bring the center just west of the main Hawaiian Islands by Monday night.

Public Advisory 40, issued at 5:00 p.m. HST (0300 UTC Sunday), located Lowell’s eye near 13.7°N, 163.4°W — about 630 miles south-southwest of Lihue and 635 miles southwest of Honolulu — moving west-northwest near 5 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 130 mph with higher gusts; minimum central pressure was estimated at 942 mb. Forecasters said some intensity fluctuations remain possible through early Sunday, followed by gradual weakening Sunday and Monday, with the center still expected to stay near major-hurricane strength on its closest approach.

A turn toward the north is expected on Sunday, then a faster north-northeast motion Sunday night and Monday. On that track, Lowell is forecast to move across portions of the Papahanaumokuakea monument just west of the main islands Monday night. Tropical-storm conditions are possible in Kauai County by late Monday or Monday night; hurricane conditions are possible in eastern monument waters Monday night.

Rainfall is the inland hazard Hawaii officials are watching most closely. NHC expects 4 to 8 inches on Kauai with local totals over 12 inches possible; 2 to 6 inches on the Big Island (isolated 10 inches); 2 to 4 inches on Maui (isolated 8 inches); and 2 to 4 inches across remaining islands — enough for flash flooding and mudslides, especially in steep terrain on Kauai and parts of the Big Island. Storm surge of 1–3 feet is possible in Kauai County and up to about 1 foot on Oahu if peak surge coincides with high tide. Swells from Lowell are already a life-threatening surf and rip-current threat across many Hawaiian islands over the next several days.

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect earlier Saturday morning; Advisory 40 is the first Kauai County watch of the event. Interests elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands and the monument were told to keep monitoring. The next intermediate advisory was due at 8:00 p.m. HST, with the next complete advisory at 11:00 p.m. HST.

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