Kauai on tornado watch as Hurricane Lowell nears Hawaiian islands
HONOLULU: Residents of Kauai were warned to watch for tornadoes late Monday as Hurricane Lowell edged toward the westernmost Hawaiian islands in the US Pacific island chain, the National Weather Service said.
Kauai residents were cautioned to monitor for possible tornadoes as Hurricane Lowell approached the westernmost islands of the US Pacific chain, according to the National Weather Service. Weather officials indicated that conditions were favorable for tornadoes in and around the watch area encompassing Kauai, particularly the city of Lihue.
The storm's core was anticipated to approach or pass just west of Niihau late Monday or early Tuesday, as reported by the National Hurricane Center at 5pm (0300 GMT). Severe weather was expected for Niihau, Kauai, and Oahu, including flash flooding, high winds, and damaging waves from Hurricane Lowell. The National Hurricane Center warned of potential flooding from storm surge and tide in low-lying coastal regions of Kauai and Niihau.
Oahu, where Honolulu resides, was also under a tropical storm warning. The storm was projected to deliver 4-8 inches of rain to Kauai and 3-8 inches to the Big Island. Approximately 370km southwest of Honolulu, Hurricane Lowell was moving north-northeast. The hurricane, currently at maximum sustained winds of 175km per hour, was expected to gradually weaken in the coming days.
Earlier in the week, it had briefly achieved Category 5 strength. Hawaii is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Lala, which had passed south of the Big Island last month, causing destructive winds and flash floods. Hurricane Lowell is one of two storms currently in the Pacific, where a near-record-strength El Nino climate episode has warmed ocean temperatures.
El Nino, a recurring climate pattern in the tropical Pacific, typically occurs every two to seven years. It fosters hurricane formation in the Pacific while reducing their occurrence in the Atlantic. Climate change amplifies the global weather impacts of El Nino.
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