Parade of Hurricanes Crowds Pacific as Hawaii Goes on Alert

A spectacular Parade of Hurricanes is spinning across the Pacific, with three hurricanes simultaneously churning over the vast ocean and one powerful storm posing a growing threat to Hawaii. Hurricane Lowell, Hurricane Karina and Hurricane Marie were all active Friday as an unusually energetic Pacific hurricane season fueled by a strong El Niño kicks into high gear.

The most immediate concern is Lowell. As of early Friday, the National Hurricane Center classified the sprawling storm as a Category 3 major hurricane, with sustained winds of around 125 mph. Lowell was several hundred miles south of Hawaii and moving westward, but forecasters warned residents across the island chain to closely monitor its progress. The hurricane is expected to remain powerful through the weekend.

Meanwhile, Karina was located far east of Hawaii with winds near 100 mph, while Marie was spinning hundreds of miles west-southwest of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula. All three storms were being tracked simultaneously by the National Hurricane Center.

Lowell could make dangerous turn near Hawaii

Lowell’s projected path has forecasters particularly concerned. The hurricane is expected to continue westward south of the Hawaiian Islands before encountering changing steering currents that could force it to curve northward. Exactly when that turn happens will determine how severe the impact on Hawaii becomes.

AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said Lowell is expected to come close enough to the islands to produce at least some effects. Dangerous surf, powerful rip currents and unusually large waves could hit south-facing beaches first. However, western portions of the island chain could also face heavy rain, damaging winds and power outagesdepending on the storm’s eventual track.

The situation carries an uncomfortable historical echo. Hurricane Iniki struck Kauai as a Category 4 hurricane in September 1992, becoming one of Hawaii’s most destructive storms. Lowell is not currently forecast to repeat that direct hit, but even a glancing blow from such a large hurricane could cause serious problems.

There is another danger: Forecasters say a plume of tropical moisture could develop east of Lowell, potentially creating an atmospheric-river-like setup over parts of Hawaii. Oahu, Maui and the Big Island could experience torrential rain and flooding even before Lowell makes its closest approach. Waterspouts and isolated tornadoes are also possible within some rain bands.

California could feel effects from Hurricane Marie

Thousands of miles farther east, California is also watching the Parade of Hurricanes — but for a different reason.

Hurricane Marie is not currently expected to make a direct strike on California. Instead, its tropical moisture could be pulled northward into the American Southwest as another weather system moves across the western United States. That combination could trigger drenching downpours in Southern California and the desert Southwest while generating rough surf and dangerous rip currents along parts of the coast.

Despite social-media speculation about Marie heading directly toward California, forecasters emphasize that an actual tropical cyclone landfall there remains extremely rare. The only recorded tropical storm to make landfall in California occurred in 1939. Even Hurricane Hilary in 2023 produced historic rainfall in Southern California without making U.S. landfall as a tropical cyclone.

El Niño supercharges Pacific hurricane season

Behind the unusual burst of tropical activity is a powerful El Niño, which has helped create exceptionally favorable conditions over parts of the eastern and central Pacific.

Already this season, the region has produced 15 tropical depressions and named storms, including five hurricanes. AccuWeather expects as many as 22 named storms and between nine and 13 hurricanes in the eastern Pacific alone this year.

And the Pacific may not be finished.

The National Hurricane Center says another area of low pressure could form well offshore of southwestern Mexico next week. As of Friday, forecasters gave the system a 50 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression within seven days.

For now, Lowell remains the storm demanding the closest attention. But with three hurricanes spinning at once — and potentially another system waiting in the wings — the extraordinary Parade of Hurricanes across the Pacific is far from over.