The National Weather Service is closely monitoring two hurricanes passing above and below Hawaii — but the impacts shouldn’t be anywhere close to that of Lala, which devastated the Ka‘u district on Hawaii island two weeks ago.

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As of Tuesday evening, both cyclones were classified as “major hurricanes” with wind speeds just above 110 mile per hour, ranking them both as low-grade Category 3 storms on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale, which has five levels.

Hurricane Karina is expected to weaken to a Tropical Storm by Sunday, where it will end up northwest of the island chain and is expected to continue track north and away from the islands. Meanwhile, Hurricane Lowell is expected to strengthen as it moves west and may turn north by the end of the week.

The two storms mark the fourth and fifth cyclone in the Central Pacific Basin this season. Hurricane Fausto and Tropical Storm Moke both did not have severe impacts beyond sending high surf to the islands, while Hurricane Lala’s eye passed the Big Island’s South Point just 30 miles offshore as a Category 1 hurricane hurling 80 mile per hour winds.

Lala’s flooding demolished several homes in Na‘alehu and other rural parts of the Ka‘u, while its winds triggered statewide power outages that lasted days for many residents.

The Central Pacific Basin can expect to see between seven and 13 cyclones this season, according to experts previously interviewed by the Star-Advertiser. The busy season is attributed to a “very strong” El Nino cycle and favorable wind patterns.

The main worry resides with Lowell, National Weather Service meteorologist Dennis Trotter told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. While the turn remains uncertain, a northeast turn could send the cyclone straight toward the islands, with Niihau and Kauai potentially feeling the impacts first.

“The worst case scenario could impact other islands too — I wouldn’t say the worst scenario would be isolated to Kauai,” Trotter said.

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The agency hopes to forecast the turn with more certainty by midweek, likely on Thursday, Trotter added.

The main impacts Hawaii will feel from the cyclones this week are increased swell and wind, he said.

Trotter said while the two storms will have their own impacts, its unclear if one will influence the other.

“Depending on the track, one can maybe drag up some precipitation — maybe a storm weakens, moves into the area and the other drags some precipitation over the state,” he said. “I wouldn’t say that there is a definitive compound impact that’s driving between the two storms. It’s highly dependent on how close they are and what their track is.”

Meanwhile, a third cyclone is brewing in the Eastern Pacific.

Tropical Storm Marie is moving northwest slowly off the southern coast of Mexico, and is expected to strengthen to a hurricane near Baja California Sur and southern California by Sunday. If Marie stays active, Trotter said Hawaii wouldn’t start tracking it or feeling impacts from it until next week, depending on its path.

Without hazardous conditions expected this week beyond swell and wind — which may reach advisory levels this weekend — Trotter encouraged residents to be prepared in case Lowell’s turn this weekend does go northeast.

“Just be prepared and monitor the forecast, and we’re monitoring too,” he said. “We’re making sure that we have the most accurate forecast that we have for for these two storms.”

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