Hawaii’s western islands hit by fierce winds and heavy rain from Hurricane Lowell

HONOLULU (AP) — Damaging winds and heavy rains from Hurricane Lowell were pelting Hawaii’s western islands early Tuesday, bringing the threat of floods, mudslides and tornadoes.

Along the Southern California coast, dangerous surf conditions kicked up by the remnants of Hurricane Marie were expected to stick around for several days.

In Hawaii, the islands of Kauai and Niihau were under a hurricane warning Tuesday, while Oahu, the state’s most populated island with close to 1 million residents, was under a tropical storm warning.

Flooding and mudslides will be the biggest risk through the day, said Eric Blake, of the National Hurricane Center.

The center of the storm passed west of the islands early Tuesday and was moving away, but tropical storm-force winds extended about 200 miles (320 kilometers), the National Hurricane Center said. On Kauai, sustained winds measured just above 50 mph (80 kph) at Lihue Airport.

Some wind gusts reached 80 mph (130 kph), according to the hurricane center. But the force of the sustained winds had decreased by early Tuesday and the storm was expected to weaken in the coming days.

Road crews were clearing sand and rocks from a major route along Oahu’s western edge after floodwaters topped the highway, north of Honolulu.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green closed schools and government offices on the three islands for Tuesday ahead of the storm. Kauai has a population of over 73,000 while Niihau has fewer than 100 permanent residents.

Damaging winds, heavy flooding and dangerous surf were expected across the islands through at least the morning and possibly all day, the National Weather Service warned.

Rainfall totals could reach up to 24 inches (60 centimeters) in some areas on Kauai.

Last month, Tropical Storm Lala brushed past Hawaii and stirred up landslides, washing away about 100 homes and causing widespread power outages.

Marie downgraded but still being felt in California

What’s left of Hurricane Marie was downgraded again and is no longer considered a tropical storm.

But it was still creating dangerous surf conditions along the coast of Mexico’s Baja California and Southern California. Swells with life-threatening surf and rip current conditions will continue for the next few days, the hurricane center said.

In Malibu, where big waves were pounding the shore, the driveway of a beachfront home that sits on pylons collapsed into a sinkhole Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.