New Facts: NWS warns Lowell may take Iniki-like track

Category 4 Hurricane Lowell is passing south of Hawaii and is forecast to turn north this weekend. Kauai is now inside the forecast track area, and a direct landfall early next week is possible.

The projected bend resembles Hurricane Iniki in 1992, when a small, intense storm made a hard north turn and crossed western Kauai as a Category 4. Iniki carried sustained winds near 145 mph with gusts to 172 mph and damaged or destroyed about 70% of the island’s homes and businesses. Sea temperatures around Hawaii are in the low 80s, and El Niño can weaken the usual factors that keep strong storms away from the islands.

Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami urged residents to prepare, recommending 14 days of supplies, a go bag and a battery-powered radio. Most forecast models still keep Lowell west of the islands, but with Kauai in the track area, a northward turn would put the island within reach of stronger winds.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources