Escalation: Hurricane Lowell Maintains Category 4 Strength

Lowell held Category 4 strength about 450 miles south of Hilo, with sustained winds near 145 mph and a westward motion of about 10 mph. Hurricane‑force winds reached roughly 40 miles from the center, and tropical‑storm‑force winds extended about 105 miles.

It was projected to maintain similar intensity and gradually slow while tracking west through the next few days. Guidance showed a sharp turn toward the north or north‑northeast sometime this weekend, but the timing and angle varied widely. The latest track placed the center under 200 miles southwest of Lihue by Monday night and down to about 120 mph, still a strong hurricane.

With the core staying well south in the near term, Hawaii faced large south and southeast shore surf of 7 to 10 feet and strong rip currents, along with gusty trade winds and increased showers. East winds were expected to reach 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph on Hawaii island and Maui County, and 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph on Oahu. Swells from Lowell were likely to build early next week depending on the exact track.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources