Life-threatening Hurricane Lowell makes rare direct hit on Hawaii as intense rain, wind blast state

HONOLULU — Powerful Category 2 Hurricane Lowell made a rare direct hit on Hawaii’s western islands Monday night Hawaii time, as rain and wind continue to blast the state, with thousands of customers without power on both Kaua’i and Oahu, the state’s most populous island.While the storm’s center did not make landfall, the definition of a direct hit is when a hurricane passes within a distance that is up to twice the length between the center of the storm and the maximum winds, which in Lowell’s case was 70 miles.Lowell’s center is currently beginning to pull away north-northwest of Ni’ihau as a powerful Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.It’s moving north-northeast at 18 mph, according to the NHC.More than 60,000 customers are without power on Kaua’i and Oahu combined, according to poweroutage.us.More than 90% of Kaua’i is in the dark.Kaua’i is seeing the worst of Lowell’s impacts, with wind gusts over 80 mph on the eastern side of the island.FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne, reported strong wind gusts, flash flooding and several feet of storm surge in Kōloa on Kaua’i from late Monday night into early Tuesday morning.Hawaii Gov.

Josh Green declared a state of emergency last Thursday in preparation for the storm.Sustained winds between 65 and 85 mph have been recorded on Ni’ihau.The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a rare Tornado Watch in parts of Hawaii through 4 a.m.Officials said this is the first Tornado Watch issued by NWS Honolulu since at least 2008.A Hurricane Warning was issued for Kauaʻi County late Sunday as well as parts of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, a chain of smaller islands northwest of Hawaii’s populated islands.A Flash Flood Warning was issued for the northern side of Kaua’i on Monday night.Kaua’i’s Emergency Management Agency administrator told Byrne that several roads around the island were impassable due to downed trees early Tuesday.A volun...