New Tropical Storm Kiko Emerges in Eastern Pacific

Situated over a thousand miles away from the Mexican coastline, a fresh tropical storm named Kiko has emerged in the eastern Pacific. At present, it poses no immediate danger to land.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center, based in Miami, reported the formation of Tropical Storm Kiko on Sunday morning, predicting its escalation into a hurricane later in the week. As of now, no coastal watches or warnings have been announced by the center.

Predicted Strength of Kiko

The hurricane center forecasts that the storm will gain strength in the coming days, with expectations for it to reach hurricane status by Tuesday. Currently, Kiko's core is positioned approximately 1,045 miles west-southwest of Baja California's southern endpoint.

Presently, Kiko is exhibiting maximum sustained winds at 40 mph and is progressing westward at 9 mph.

Understanding Storm Classifications

Tropical cyclones are classified as tropical storms when they feature wind speeds ranging between 39 and 73 mph. Winds must reach 74 mph for a storm to be classified as a hurricane. For it to be deemed a major hurricane, wind velocities must surpass 110 mph, as noted by the NHC.

Kiko marks the 11th storm this year to receive a formal name.

Historical Context

Earlier this year, Tropical Storm Chantal was the only storm to make landfall in the United States, affecting North Carolina in early July. In June, Barry made landfall as a tropical depression along Mexico’s eastern coast.