Escalation: Hawaii declares emergency for Hurricane Lowell

Hawaii declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Lowell approached. Tropical storm warnings were posted for Kauai and Niihau, though some advisories Sunday cited Kauai alone. First impacts could arrive Monday.

Lowell remained a major hurricane Sunday, rated Category 3 with 120 to 125 mph winds. Winds over 39 mph were expected within 36 hours, mainly in the western islands, and mountain peaks and slopes could see gusts reaching hurricane strength. Large ocean swells were already moving north toward the islands.

The storm was tracking north toward the western end of the chain. Some projections warned of a potential direct impact, while others anticipated the center to pass to the west. It is the third system in just over three weeks to threaten Hawaii this season.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources