Hurricane Lowell — Hurricane in Kauaʻi, Niʻihau, Oahu and Lanai, United States
Photo: Kgcnew, CC BY-SA 4.0
HurricaneNatural Disaster

Hurricane Lowell

Kauaʻi, Niʻihau, Oahu and Lanai, Hawaii, 🇺🇸 United StatesSeptember 6, 202633,000+ affected

Overview

Hurricane Lowell caused catastrophic damage in Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi, in the United States, on the night of September 7, 2026, as it passed about 35 miles west of Niʻihau as a Category 2 hurricane. Hurricane-force gusts were recorded at several locations, but the most devastating damage came from high surf and storm surge along Kauaʻi's south- and west-facing shores. In Poʻipū, large waves and surge swept cars and homes off their foundations and destroyed roads. Rainfall totals reached up to 21.7 inches on Kauaʻi.

The National Weather Service attributed three deaths to the storm. On Kauaʻi, a 74-year-old man was killed by storm surge at Nomilu Fishpond and a 69-year-old man died in flash flooding in Wainiha. On Oahu, a 31-year-old man in Waimānalo was killed when a tree fell on his tent. More than 90% of Kauaʻi residents lost power, and Lanai's cargo harbor was knocked out.

American Red Cross shelters on Kauaʻi housed more than 300 people at their peak, and the Hanapēpē and Līhuʻe corps of The Salvation Army served emergency meals. On October 8, the President approved a major disaster declaration providing FEMA Public Assistance to Kauaʻi and Maui counties.