Hurricane Lowell strengthened back to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale as it moved south-southwest of Hawaii on Friday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Lowell was located at latitude 13.2°N and longitude 160.79°W which put the center about 615 miles (985 km) south-southwest of Lihue, Hawaii.  Lowell was moving toward the west-southwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 175 m.p.h. (280 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 926 mb.

Hurricane Lowell strengthened back to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Friday after weakening on Thursday night.  A circular eye with a diameter of 30 miles (50 km) was at the center of Lowell’s circulation.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Lowell.  Storms near the center generated stronger upper level divergence that pumped more mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of more mass in the upper levels of the atmosphere caused the surface pressure to decrease on Friday.

An eyewall replacement cycle cause the size of the circulation around Hurricane Lowell to increase.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of Lowell’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 160 miles (260 km) from the center of Hurricane Lowell.

The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Lowell is 31.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 18.9 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 50.5. Hurricane Lowell is similar in intensity to Hurricane Ida when Ida hit southeast Louisiana in 2021.  Lowell is larger than Ida was.

Hurricane Lowell will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Lowell will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind wind shear.  Hurricane Lowell is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.  Lowell could strengthen back to Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

Hurricane Lowell will move around the southern side of a high pressure system that is over the Central North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Lowell toward the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Hurricane Lowell will remain south-southwest of Hawaii on Saturday.  Lowell is forecast to start moving toward the north during the weekend.

Elsewhere, Hurricane Karina continued to weaken gradually  east of Hawaii and Hurricane Marie was spinning southwest of Baja California.

At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Karina was located at latitude 20.6°N and longitude 141.1°W which put the center about 910 miles (1465 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii.  Karina was moving toward the west at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 978 mb.

At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Marie was located at latitude 20.2°N and longitude 118.6°W which put the center about 590 miles (950 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Marie was moving toward the west-northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 972 mb.