Hurricane Lowell accelerates toward Hawaii as damaging impacts begin

Satellite imagery from Monday afternoon shows Lowell losing its structure a bit, but maintaining hurricane status as it accelerates towards Hawaii. Hurricane Lowell accelerated toward Kauai on Monday, weakening slightly to a Category 2 storm still expected to make its closest approach Monday night and bring hurricane conditions , flooding rainfall and destructive surf to Hawaii’s westernmost islands. Hawaii Standard Time on Monday, or 2 p.m. Pacific time, Lowell was about 275 miles south of Lihue, Kauai’s biggest city, and moving north-northeast at 17 mph. Lowell continues to have maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. “Over the past 24 hours we have watched this system veer closer to us, too close for comfort,” said Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami in a statement. “I hope you have spent these last few days preparing for the worst.

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open San Francisco Chronicle ↗