Hurricane Lowell is forecast to remain an intense major hurricane, and has now turned northward in the Central Pacific. The major hurricane poses a danger to parts of Hawaii, including Kauai. Tropical storm warnings have been issued for Kauai and Ni'ihau as the storm will bring storm surge, high winds and flooding rainfall.

Where Lowell is now

Lowell is currently about 575 miles south-southwest of Lihue and 595 miles southwest of Honolulu.

From early Tuesday to Wednesday, Lowell rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to only the second Category 5 hurricane of the 2026 Pacific season.

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Since then, Lowell has weakened to a Category 3 hurricane. Some fluctuations in intensity remain possible through Sunday, followed by gradual weakening.

However, Lowell is expected to remain a major hurricane through Monday.

(MORE: What hurricane terms mean)

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Where Lowell is headed next

Lowell is moving toward the north-northwest, and according to the National Hurricane Center, is forecast to turn toward the north and north-northeast with an increase in forward speed over the next couple of day.

This would bring the center of Lowell just west of the main Hawaiian Islands, particularly Kauai and Ni'ihau, late on Monday night.

Lowell may face some increasing wind shear and cooling waters on its northward journey that could knock down its intensity a bit, but it is still expected to remain a major hurricane through Monday, when it makes its closest pass to western Hawaii.

It will then turn toward the north-northwest and slow down by Tuesday night after passing the Hawaiian Islands.

(MORE: What a hurricane's forecast cone means)

Forecast impacts

The most certain impact is an increase in surf across Hawaii through Labor Day. Waves could reach up to 14 feet.

Heavy rainfall could cause significant flash flooding and mudslides, especially for areas with steep terrain.

For Kauai, rainfall of 6 to 10 inches, with maximum totals of 14 inches is possible. For the Big Island, 4 to 8 inches of rainfall is expected, with isolated totals of 12 inches possible.

For Kauai and the Big Island, rainfall of 3-6 inches with isolated totals up to 10 inches is possible.

Maui could see 2 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 8 inches possible.

The remaining islands could see 2 to 4 inches.

Storm surge could also cause coastal flooding, with heights of 1 to 3 feet forecast for Kauai County and up to one foot for Oahu.

(MORE: The science behind the Pacific's three hurricanes)

What you should do

Here's what you should know and do if you're in Hawaii, especially in the western islands:

• Make sure you have your hurricane plan ready to go, if needed.
• Plan for the potential of power outages that could last at least several hours, if not several days.
• If you're in a flood prone area, especially in hilly terrain or near the coast, have a "go bag" of belongings prepared in case an evacuation is ordered by local officials.
• Dangerous surf and rip currents are likely in the entire island chain the next several days, especially on south-facing coasts, regardless of Lowell's exact track. Stay out of the water if you're not a strong swimmer or surfer. Obey all guidance from lifeguards.

Lowell will likely be the third storm to affect parts of Hawaii this El Niño-fueled Pacific hurricane season, following Lala, then Moke, both of which brushed parts of the islands in about a week's time in August. In late July, Fausto passed north of the islands, but fizzled.

(MORE: Hawaii hurricane history)

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.