Hurricane Lowell Hits Hawaii as Pacific Season Stays Active

Hurricane Lowell brought significant damage to Hawaii's western islands this week. On Tuesday night, the storm's center passed within 50 miles of Ni'ihau, packing winds of up to 110 miles per hour.

The strong winds caused widespread power outages across Ni'ihau, Kauaʻi, and Oʻahu. The event was notable for an accompanying tornado watch issued for Kauaʻi from Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Research maps from Iowa State University indicated this was likely the first tornado watch ever issued for Hawaii. While no tornado was documented, experts note hurricanes can spawn tornadoes, most often in thunderstorms within rain bands away from the storm's core.

Pacific Hurricane Activity

The National Weather Service notes that five named storms have now occurred in the central Pacific this season. A strong El Niño is cited as a key driver for this above-normal hurricane activity.

Heavy Rain and Flooding in Japan

In Asia, further heavy rainfall caused flooding in Japan, disrupting services including the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train. A record 104.5mm of rain fell in one hour on Tuesday afternoon in Nagoya.

The downpour was caused by a stationary front and moist air mass linked to Tropical Depression Krovanh, creating extremely unstable conditions. A level-two landslide advisory remained in place across the country on Friday.

Some landslides have already occurred. One at a main starting point for Mount Fuji on Wednesday covered three vehicles in debris, though no injuries were reported.

Severe Storms Strike Southern Europe

Heavy rainfall also hit central-southern Europe this week. Cooler air pushed southeast, displacing the warm air behind the region's recent late-season heatwave.

The boundary between these air masses, a cold front, reached the Mediterranean by Wednesday. There, it created ideal conditions for violent thunderstorms.

Cool air moving over the unusually warm Mediterranean waters created an unstable atmosphere, while the sea supplied ample moisture. Large thunderstorms formed over waters around Corsica, Sardinia, and northern Italy on Wednesday and Thursday.

These storms produced torrential rain, flash flooding, strong winds, and a few tornadoes. A weather station in Veneto, Italy, recorded 154.2mm of rain in just 3.5 hours.

The storm system pushed northeast into Austria and the Balkans late Thursday, with some activity forecast to continue into Friday. Drier, sunnier weather is expected to develop in the region over the weekend and into next week.