Most people in the United States were not affected by Tropical Storm Kiko, which churned in the Eastern Pacific Ocean far off Mexico's Baja California coast over the Labor Day Weekend holiday.
According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the short-lived tropical cyclone maintained hurricane strength for only a brief period of time. Kiko first developed into Tropical Depression 11 on Aug. 31 about 500 miles or 805 km west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and appeared elongated. The next day, redorbit.com reports that the depression organized and Tropical Storm Kiko was born at 11 a.m. EDT.
Kiko intensified quickly as it continued moving north at 7 mph/11 kph and its maximum sustained winds sped up to near 70 mph, just 4 mph shy of hurricane-force. However, by Sunday, Kiko's sustained winds dropped from 70 mph to 50 mph and was heading to the north-northwest at 6 mph.
By 11 a.m. EDT on Monday, Kiko had run into cooler waters and wind shear, weakening the storm. Tropical Depression Kiko's maximum sustained winds had dropped to near 35 mph/55 kph.
On Tuesday, Kiko was a post-tropical remnant low pressure area near 23 north and 116.5 west. The National Hurricane Center noted that Kiko's remnants will continue to weaken, and the short-lived storm will completely dissipate by Wednesday.
Although Kiko is no longer a threat, another low pressure area appears to be organizing in the Eastern Pacific, only a couple of hundred miles southwest of Mexico's southwestern coast. It is generating widespread showers and is expected to develop over the next several days. The National Hurricane Center gives that low a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression in the next several days as it moves to the west-northwest.
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