The center of Hurricane Lowell was expected to move west of Niʻihau Monday night, closing roads and bringing flooding to some areas as the storm skirted north past the Hawaiian islands.

Residents of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, closest to the category 2 hurricane, scrambled to prepare over the Labor Day holiday as the storm’s estimated path inched closer to the islands.

Kauaʻi and Niʻihau were under a hurricane warning Monday night, while Oʻahu was under a tropical storm warning. High surf conditions spread across the islands.

For many, Lowell’s path was a harrowing reminder of Hurricane ʻIniki in 1992 — a category 4 storm that caused an estimated $3 billion in damage. Like ʻIniki, Lowell had been passing south of Hawaiʻi but took an abrupt northward turn, heading toward the west end of the Main Hawaiian Islands.

Latest Hurricane Lowell Forecast, Map

The state was placed under flood watch through Tuesday as Lowell passed the islands, bringing bands of heavy rain, wind and thunder, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

Winds may reach hurricane-force levels on Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. Short-lived tornadoes and waterspouts were possible near the storm, particularly around those islands.

Get the latest news on how the storm affects Hawaiʻi and more:

Conditions were expected to dry out heading into the weekend.

Stay tuned to the National Hurricane Center for Lowell’s latest path map.

Keep Up With Hawaiʻi Power Outages

Thousands on Kauaʻi lost power Monday night — roughly 1 in 6 households.

Here’s where you can check to see the latest in your neighborhood:

• Oʻahu power outage map from Hawaiian Electric Co.
• Big Island power outage map from Hawaiian Electric Co.
• Maui County power outage map from Hawaiian Electric Co.
• Kauaʻi power outage map from Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative

What Category Is Hurricane Lowell?

Hurricane Lowell was a category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale as of Monday evening with sustained winds of 110 mph, teetering on the edge of a category 3.

Category 2 hurricanes see sustained winds from 96 to 110 mph.

What’s The Difference Between A Tropical Storm And A Hurricane?

A tropical storm is a cyclone with sustained winds ranging from 39 to 73 mph, according to the National Weather Service. A hurricane is a cyclone with winds higher than 74 mph.

While tropical cyclones can happen at any time during the year, Hawaiʻi’s peak hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

How Is A Hurricane Watch Different From A Warning?

Kauaʻi and Niʻihau are under a hurricane warning, which means hurricane conditions are expected in the area, according to the National Ocean Service.

A hurricane watch means those conditions are possible, and is typically issued within two days of the anticipated arrival of a storm with tropical-storm-force winds.

Hawaiʻi School Closures

All schools on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, along with Niʻihau High and Elementary, will be closed on Tuesday because of Hurricane Lowell, the state education department announced Monday evening. The announcement came as Gov. Josh Green announced that state and county offices and judiciaries on Oʻahu and in Kauaʻi County will also close on Tuesday.

All University of Hawaiʻi campuses on Oʻahu, as well as Kauaʻi Community College, will also close on Tuesday.

Kamehameha Schools will also close their Kapālama campus, plus Oʻahu and Kauaʻi preschools and offices Tuesday, according to its website.

So far, several Oʻahu schools have faced at least three days of cancelled classes just a month into the new academic year because of the impacts of Hurricane Lala and Lowell. On Big Island, students at Nāʻālehu Elementary have yet to return to their campus because of damage from flooding and storm debris last month.

Closures because of dangerous weather conditions or storm damage have become more common over the past year. Last year, some Big Island and Oʻahu schools faced five or more days of closures following the damage from the Kona Low storms. On Big Island, Konawaena High School was forced to transition to online learning last spring as the campus dealt with the aftermath of the storm.

Oʻahu Shelters and Closures

The City and County of Honolulu closed city offices and non-essential services Tuesday.

Residents can call 768-CITY (2489) as of 7 p.m. Friday for updates on the storm, shelters, services and more.

Honolulu opened a pet-friendly shelter at Nānākuli Elementary School (89-778 Haleakala Ave.) as a precautionary measure.

Kauaʻi Shelters

Kauaʻi County announced a number of closures Monday, including plans to shutter state and county offices on the island Tuesday.

The following shelters have been opened:

• Kalāheo: Kalāheo Neighborhood Center (4480 Papalina Road)
• Kapaʻa: Kapaʻa Middle School (4867 Olohena Road)
• Kīlauea: Kīlauea Neighborhood Center (2460 Keneke St.)
• Līhuʻe: Kauaʻi High School Gym (3577 Lala Road)
• Waimea: Waimea Canyon Middle School (9555 Huakai Road)

Sign Up For Emergency Alerts On Your Island

Use the following links to get updates from local officials:

• Kauaʻi emergency alerts
• Honolulu emergency alerts
• Big Island emergency alerts
• Maui County emergency alerts

Hawaiʻi Airport Flight Cancellations

The Līhuʻe airport closed Monday afternoon as Lowell neared.

For the latest, check your flight status:

• Līhuʻe airport flight status
• Hilo airport flight status
• Honolulu airport flight status
• Kahului airport flight status
• Kona airport flight status

Report Power Line Damage

If you see downed power lines, do not approach and report them:

• Oʻahu (Hawaiian Electric Co.): 1-855-304-1212
• Big Island (Hawaiian Electric Co.): 1-855-304-8181
• Maui (Hawaiian Electric Co.): 1-855-304-9191

Hawaiʻi Reservoir And Stream Levels

The University of Hawai‘i Sea Level Center monitors reservoirs on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu and Maui. The National Water Prediction Service provides data on streams and rivers across the state.

Megan Tagami contributed to this report.