(BIVN) – A Flood Watch has been issued for the entire State of Hawaiʻi, and a High Surf Advisory remains in effect for most shores, as Hurricane Lowell continues on its forecasted track closer to the islands, early Saturday evening.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Kauai County, which includes the islands of Kauai and Niʻihau.
As of 8 p.m. on Saturday evening, Hurricane Lowell was located 630 miles southwest of Oʻahu. With maximum sustained winds were near 130 mph, Lowell remains a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
On the forecast track, Lowell is expected to turn north and move across portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, just west of the main Hawaiian Islands, on Monday night.
“Moisture along the eastern flank of Hurricane Lowell will bring periods of heavy rain to the main Hawaiian Islands late Sunday through Tuesday,” the National Weather Service stated. While Kauai expects to see the most rain from Lowell, the entire state is under a Flood Watch. For the Big Island, 2 to 6 inches of rain is expected with isolated totals of 10 inches possible. This rainfall may produce significant flash flooding and mudslides, especially on Kauai and portions of the Big Island, forecasters say.
In its High Surf Advisory, the National Weather Service stated:
South and southwesterly swells from Hurricane Lowell will keep surf elevated above High Surf Advisory conditions across south- and west-facing shores through at least Sunday. A forecasted northward turn will cause an increase in swell, likely bringing surf along these shores rapidly to warning levels by Monday. These swells are then expected to drop off quickly on Tuesday. A large, medium- period east swell from Tropical Storm Karina will also persist through at least Monday, producing advisory level surf along east facing shores.
A number of beach closures were already announced Saturday in West Hawaiʻi.
The Hawaiʻi County Department of Parks and Recreation said that due to the high surf, the following are closed:
- Honaunau Boat Ramp
- Kahaluʻu Beach Park
- Laʻaloa Beach Park
- Old As Strip
- Kohanaiki Beach Park
- Mahukona Wharf
