[REVISION HISTORY]

Pacific tropical storms Karina, Lowell, and Marie

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2026-09-03 00:22 UTC → 2026-09-03 02:59 UTC · added ~~removed~~

By September 1, three tropical cyclones were active in the Pacific. Hurricane Lowell, a major hurricane, was moving west-northwest and forecast to pass south of the Hawaiian Islands, bringing gusty winds and rainfall. Hurricane Karina was tracking westward and expected to move north of Hawaiʻi after passing east of the Big Island. Tropical Storm Marie, located near the southern tip of Baja California, was projected to become a hurricane with the potential to approach Hawaiʻi in approximately ten days. The National Weather Service advised residents to remain alert to changing forecasts despite models suggesting most storms would not directly strike populated islands. By September 2, the situation evolved into a rare meteorological phenomenon involving a triplet of storms: two Category 4 hurricanes, Lowell and Karina, alongside tropical storm Marie. Experts attributed this occurrence to intense ocean warming driven by El Niño. Climatologist Julia Cole noted that El Niño provides the warm water necessary to fuel such storms, while Benjamin Kurtman of the University of Miami observed that surface water temperatures are near record levels. NOAA estimates a 69% chance that this El Niño event will be one of the strongest on record. While Lowell and Karina are expected to maintain significant distance from the coast of Cuba, their exact trajectories remain uncertain. Following this intensification, Hurricane Lowell rapidly strengthened into a powerful Category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds reaching approximately 160 mph. While current trajectories suggest the systems may pass at a distance from the Hawaiian Islands, forecasters noted significant uncertainty regarding Lowell’s path, as models indicate the storm may make a sharp turn toward the north later in the week. Additionally, swells generated by Lowell are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions in parts of Hawaii.

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