Hawaii has declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Lowell, a major Category 3 storm, moves toward the islands. The storm is the third system in just over three weeks to threaten the state during an active hurricane season in the central Pacific. Early Sunday, Lowell packed winds of 125 miles per hour while moving northwest at six miles per hour.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for Kauai County, Niihau, and several other small islands. These warnings, issued on Sunday, come as the storm moves north, invoking memories of the devastation left by Iniki in 1992.
Although Lowell is forecast to pass the islands to the west late Monday and Tuesday, it is expected to create life-threatening conditions. First impacts may be felt as soon as Monday, though the storm is forecast to sidestep the major Hawaiian islands west of the archipelago by Monday night.