Hurricane Lowell threatens Hawaii with flooding rain, damaging winds

Key Points:

• Hurricane Lowell passed near the Hawaiian Islands overnight, causing heavy rains and flash flooding, with a hurricane warning in effect for Kauai County and a tropical storm warning for Oahu.
• Lowell weakened to a Category 1 hurricane by the morning of Sept. 8, located about 145 miles northwest of Lihue and moving north at 18 mph, but it still posed significant risks including flooding, landslides, and tornadoes.
• Several homes and roads were damaged on Kauai due to flooding and strong winds, with officials warning of utility disruptions and urging residents to conserve water and shelter in place.
• Kauai County closed public transit, schools, parks, and the airport ahead of the storm, and emergency officials advised against driving through flooded areas and entering the ocean due to hazardous surf conditions.
• Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Marie continues to affect California’s coast with rough surf, and a new potential tropical system named Norbert is developing in the eastern Pacific, while the Atlantic basin remains quiet with no expected tropical cyclone formation in the next week.