Hawaii Gov. Josh Green closed schools and government offices on the westernmost islands of Kauai and Niihau and on Oahu for Tuesday as Hurricane Lowell was expected to pass nearby, bringing damaging winds, mudslides, possible tornadoes, dangerous rip currents and as much as 24 inches (about 60 centimeters) of rain to some areas on Kauai.
The closures, which include community colleges and state and county offices, were put into effect for Oahu and Kauai County, which was under a hurricane warning issued by the National Hurricane Center. Kauai County includes the major islands of Kauai, which has a population of over 73,000, and Niihau, where there are fewer than 100 residents.
A portion of the vast Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument was also included in the warning.
The weather agency also warned late Monday of the possibility of “several tornadoes” near Kauai and Niihau in the evening and overnight, with tornadoes also possible on other Hawaiian Islands.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for Oahu, which has close to 1 million residents.
The National Hurricane Center said the core of the storm was expected to pass near or just west of Niihau late Monday and early Tuesday. While the winds — which were strong enough to make Lowell a Category 2 hurricane as of Monday afternoon — were expected to weaken, the storm was expected to remain a hurricane at its closest approach to the islands.
“Closing offices, schools and courts will help keep people off the roads during dangerous conditions and allow emergency crews to focus on protecting our communities,” Green said in a news release. “I urge everyone in Kaua'i County to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and follow all official emergency instructions.”
He also urged residents to stay away from shorelines, avoid driving through floodwaters, prepare for power outages and monitor for updates.
Isolated rainfall totals of up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) were expected in Oahu and Maui, and 12 inches (30 centimeters) was expected in portions of the Big Island of Hawaii, the farthest east of the state's major islands.
Last month, the state had a brush with Tropical Storm Lala. While it did not make landfall, it hit Hawaii — and especially the Big Island — hard, leaving behind landslides, washing away about 100 homes and causing widespread power outages.
This satellite image released by NOAA shows Hurricane Lowell approaching Hawaii, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (NOAA via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — Elena Rybakina overpowered Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open and is a win away from the No. 1 ranking in women's tennis.
She just has to beat Zheng Qinwen, which won't be easy. Even when Zheng goes down — way, way down — she refuses to stay there.
Rybakina advanced to the quarterfinals Monday with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Osaka in a matchup of power-hitting Grand Slam champions. The No. 2-seeded Rybakina is guaranteed to replace Aryna Sabalenka atop the WTA rankings if she reaches the semifinals in Flushing Meadows.
“Of course I want it, I don't know anyone who wouldn’t wish this, but definitely that’s one of my goals,” Rybakina said. “I try to approach the same way, try to do everything I can, fight until the end my next match and let’s see what’s going to happen.”
Trying to stop her will be Zheng, who made a daring escape from a 5-0 deficit for the second straight match. The 2024 Olympic gold medalist from China beat No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 to become the first qualifier to reach the final eight in Flushing Meadows since Emma Raducanu won the title in 2021.
Two days after she was down 5-0 in the third set before winning the final seven games to stun No. 22 Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, Zheng quickly dropped the first five games against Swiatek, the 2022 U.S. Open champion.
“I guess to come back 0-5 yesterday is not lucky, that’s all I can say,” Zheng said.
Rybakina won the Australian Open this year for her second major title and her No. 2 ranking is her career best. Even if she loses Wednesday, she can still get to No. 1 if neither Sabalenka, Coco Gauff or Jessica Pegula wins the title.
Rybakina was too good for Osaka, who won two of her four Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Open but appeared to be struggling with a foot or ankle problem. The match lasted just 1 hour, 6 minutes, with Rybakina closing it out with an ace. She leads the WTA Tour in that category.
Zheng was a U.S. Open quarterfinalist in 2023 and 2024 — the year she reached the Australian Open final — but after her ranked dropped following elbow surgery she had to go through qualifying this year to reach the main draw. Raducanu’s title five years ago made her the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title in the Open era, which dates to 1968.
Swiatek couldn't convert two set points serving at 5-1 and Zheng fought off another when Swiatek served with a 5-3 lead. She said she was so focused on each point that she even forgot the score.
Swiatek came in with a 7-1 record against Zheng, with the only loss two years ago in the Olympic semifinals in Paris. Zheng came back from a 4-0 deficit in the second set that day to stop Swiatek’s 25-match winning streak at Roland Garros, where she has won four French Open titles.
Swiatek got treatment on her left thigh in the second set but said her problems were neither physical nor mental.
“It was more that I started making mistakes from easy balls and Qinwen stopped doing mistakes," Swiatek said. "She played the balls better.”
Gauff beat No. 14 Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 to return to the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time since winning her first major title at the tournament in 2023. She lost in the fourth round in each of the last two years.
The No. 4 seed will face French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, the No. 5 seed who came back to beat No. 24 Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, after helping her opponent when she injured her knee in the final game of the match.
Botic van de Zandschulp outlasted Arthur Gea 3-6, 6-7 (0), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3), 6-4 in 5 hours, 13 minutes, the fourth-longest match in U.S. Open history. He will play top-seeded Alexander Zverev, who beat No. 21 No. 21 Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3).
Gea, a Frenchman who got in the tournament when 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud pulled out with a back injury, had a match point in the third-set tiebreaker in a bid to become the first lucky loser to reach the quarterfinals of a men's major. A lucky loser is a player who loses in the final round of qualifying but reaches the main draw when another player withdraws.
Also going five sets — though a mere 3 hours, 50 minutes — was Karen Khachanov’s 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-4 victory over No. 14 Learner Tien. Tien was trying to give the host country four men in the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time since five made it in 1995. No. 8 Ben Shelton, No. 11 Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen all advanced Sunday, along with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Khachanov will play No. 28 seed Alexander Blockx, who beat No. 24 Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 to become the first man from Belgium to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
See AP’s full tennis coverage here
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, returns the ball to Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, celebrates winning a match against Naomi Osaka, of Japan, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Qinwen Zheng, of China, celebrates after winning a match against Iga Swiatek, of Poland, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, left, greets Naomi Osaka, of Japan, after winning a match during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, returns the ball to Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, returns the ball to Naomi Osaka, of Japan, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, receives a massage during a medical timeout durnig a match against Qinwen Zheng, of China, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, returns the ball to Qinwen Zheng, of China, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, reacts during a match against Qinwen Zheng, of China, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Qinwen Zheng, of China, reacts during a match against Iga Swiatek, of Poland, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
