Hawaii Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Hurricane Lowell

Hawaii Governor Josh Green signed a statewide emergency proclamation on September 3, 2026, ahead of Hurricane Lowell and other tropical systems, including Hurricane Karina and Tropical Storm Marie. The proclamation covers the entire state and allows state and county agencies to mobilize personnel and resources more quickly, though it does not order evacuations or curfews. The emergency relief period runs through November 1, 2026, unless terminated earlier. As part of preparations, six high-water vehicles were sent to Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi National Guard members were activated ahead of potential storm impacts. Hurricane Lowell was a category 3 storm as of early Sunday morning, with sustained winds of 125 miles per hour, moving north-west at six miles per hour. The Guardian reported that Lowell is the third storm system in just over three weeks to threaten Hawaii during an active central Pacific hurricane season, and that first impacts from Lowell were expected as soon as Monday. Maui Now noted the state was still recovering from Tropical Cyclone Lala when the new proclamation was issued. As of the latest reporting, Hurricane Lowell had not yet made landfall or direct impact on the islands, and the precise timing and severity of any impacts remained unconfirmed. It is unresolved whether Hurricane Karina or Tropical Storm Marie posed direct threats requiring separate action, as they were named in the proclamation without further detail on their tracks or intensity. No injuries, damages, or evacuation orders had been reported at the time of these accounts.