Hurricane Lowell Warning Upends Kauai Travel With Cancellations And Waivers

Kauai is now under a hurricane warning as Lowell moves closer, and the effects on travel are also beginning to rapidly intensify. Lihue airport was a mess Sunday night with people rushing to leave the island. Several airlines are giving passengers more flexibility to change plans, while the sold-out Kauai Marathon was canceled Saturday night after thousands of runners had already traveled to the island.

We are watching from the island after preparing more extensively for Lowell than we have for any hurricane since Iniki. Lowell is still forecast to pass just west of the island, with its closest approach expected Monday night into Tuesday.

Kauai is now under a hurricane warning.

At 11 p.m. Sunday, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for Kauai and Niihau instead of the hurricane watch and tropical storm warning that was already in place. Lowell remains a Category 3 hurricane for now, with tropical storm to hurricane conditions expected on Kauai and Niihau by late Monday.

Heavy rain, dangerous surf, coastal flooding and strong winds remain possible even if the center stays offshore. Conditions have already begun deteriorating before Lowell even reaches its closest point to Kauai.

Airline waivers now cover Kauai travel.

Alaska and Hawaiian have issued a flexible travel policy specifically for Lihue, covering original travel September 7 and 8 for tickets purchased by September 5, with eligible new travel through September 11. Alaska also confirmed Sunday evening that it plans to cancel more than 20 flights to and from Kauai on Monday because of Lowell.

United’s Lowell waiver is also limited to Lihue and covers travel September 7 and 8. American has gone broader, covering Lihue, Honolulu, Kahului, and Kona for original travel September 6 through 9, with eligible rebooked travel through September 14.

As of Sunday evening, we have not found Hurricane Lowell waivers posted by Delta or Southwest. Travelers should check directly with their airline before making changes, since these policies can be added or revised quickly.

The county pulled support for the Kauai Marathon.

The sold-out Kauai Marathon and Half Marathon was supposed to begin at 6 a.m. Sunday. Race co-director JT Service said Kauai County was pulling the event permit and county support Saturday night, leaving organizers unable to hold the race. Organizers said they had considered alternate routes and reduced road closures before canceling.

Sunday morning on the South Shore turned out to be nearly ideal for running. There was some light rain mixed with partly cloudy and partly sunny conditions, breezy with no significant storm weather. We heard numerous reports of runners going out and running anyway, and we later ran into participants around town and at the gym.

The concern was what would be required to stage the event while Kauai prepared for Lowell. The marathon normally requires road closures through Koloa, Poipu, Omao, Lawai and Kalaheo, and those closures were canceled after the race was called off. Food, water and ice intended for the finish line were instead made available to the Kauai community at the Grand Hyatt.

For runners who had already come to Kauai, the cancellation left airfare, hotels, rental cars, and many months of training tied to an event they couldn’t officially run. The event was sold out, which meant that 2,500 runners were set to participate, not counting family and friends traveling with them.

Lihue Airport remains open.

LIH remains open as of Sunday evening despite Alaska and Hawaiian’s planned cancellations for Monday. Anyone flying to or from Kauai Monday or Tuesday should verify actual flight status before leaving for the airport and carefully check applicable waivers before changing a ticket, something we learned the hard way after Lala.

Flooding and road closures can isolate places including Hanalei, and officials are urging people to stay off roads during any severe conditions, never drive through flowing or rising water, and avoid brown or murky ocean water for 48 to 72 hours afterward.

Tonight, Kauai is in that uncomfortable waiting period between preparation and knowing what will actually happen. The marathon is over without ever officially starting, the airport is still operating, and Lowell is still offshore to our south. By Monday night, much of that uncertainty should be gone. We’ll continue to update you here from Kauai.

Lead Photo © Beat of Hawaii

By Rob and Jeff, Beat of Hawaii.

Some of the most meaningful parts of Hawaii are the ones visitors walk right past without knowing they are there. We’ve spent nearly 20 years finding them firsthand for BOH as full-time Hawaii residents reporting on travel, culture, and island life, and telling you what they mean for your trip. Join us →