Sandego.net – The Hawaiian islands face their third consecutive tropical threat in as many weeks, and the state government has moved to full emergency footing. Governor Josh Green signed a statewide emergency declaration on Thursday, unlocking state resources and authorizing activation of Hawaii National Guard units. The trigger is Hurricane Lowell, a powerful system that reached Category 5 intensity — sustained winds up to 160 mph — on Friday evening local time, per the National Hurricane Center. The storm is expected to weaken to roughly Category 3 strength by the time it nears the island chain later this week, but even that reduced intensity carries enough energy to produce dangerous conditions.

Lowell’s exact path remains the central question. The National Hurricane Center’s official forecast places the storm’s center approximately 150 miles west of Niihau, or about 190 miles west of Kauai, from late Monday afternoon through Monday night. A lateral…