Major Hurricane Lowell forecast to make sharp turn toward Hawaii

Key Points:

• Hurricane Lowell, a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds, is forecast to make a sharp right turn toward the western Hawaiian Islands over the weekend, potentially impacting areas including Kauai and Niihau.
• Lowell is expected to remain a major hurricane for several days, with possible storm surge, wind, and rainfall impacts in Hawaii early next week; swells from the storm are already causing life-threatening surf and rip currents.
• Hawaii Governor Josh Green declared a statewide emergency due to the increased storm activity fueled by El Niño and recent damage from Hurricane Lala, urging residents to prepare for a worst-case scenario.
• Historical precedent shows hurricanes making sharp right turns toward Kauai, such as Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which caused devastating damage and fatalities; Lowell's track could follow a similar pattern.
• The active Pacific hurricane season, intensified by El Niño, has produced multiple storms including Hurricanes Marie and Karina, which are currently not threats to land but are generating hazardous surf conditions in Hawaii and Southern California.