The word changed again.
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center at 8 a.m. HST upgraded Oahu from a tropical storm watch to a tropical storm warning. Headline on the bulletin: conditions expected to deteriorate this afternoon. The warning clock is 12 hours. That is not the 48-hour homework watch. That is expected, today.
An Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft fixed the center near 18.0N, 162.1W β 325 miles south-southwest of Lihue, 355 southwest of Honolulu. Hurricane Lowell is still a Category 3: 115 mph, moving north-northeast at 15 mph. Pressure 955 mb from a dropsonde, a tick higher than the 5 a.m. 950. Hurricane-force winds still reach 60 miles. Tropical-storm-force winds 175. The core is still forecast near or just west of Niihau tonight into early Tuesday.
Kauai County stays under a hurricane warning. Papahanaumokuakea from Nihoa to French Frigate Shoals does too. Tropical-storm conditions on Oahu: this afternoon or evening. Hurricane conditions on Kauai: the same window.
This morning: 415 miles. Midday: 375 and a watch. Now: 325 and a warning. The storm did not wait for the picnic to end.
Rain and surge numbers did not ease: Kauai 6β10 inches, isolated 16. Oahu and Maui County 4β8, isolated 10. Kauai surge 2β4 feet. Oahu up to 1. Tornadoes still possible.
What this means for you
If you are on Kauai or Niihau, the hurricane warning is still the sentence. Stay home. If you are on Oahu, treat this afternoon as the start of tropical-storm wind, not a maybe. If you have a western-islands flight, it is a cancel until the airline says otherwise. Stay out of the water on every island.
Bottom line: warning, not watch. 325 miles. 15 mph. This afternoon is when Oahu feels it.
GLHR NEWS explains the news. Not investment, tax, or trading advice. Do your own work before you act.
