Kiko Quickly Becomes Major Hurricane

Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019

5 PM: KIKO RAPIDLY STRENGTHENS INTO A MAJOR HURRICANE

5 PM, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. Hurricane Kiko. PC: NOAA

Kiko has undergone a remarkable intensification over the past 24 hours, according to the NWS National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm was forecast earlier to weaken by Tuesday and has instead become a category 3 hurricane.

At 5 p.m., the center of Hurricane Kiko was located near latitude 17.0°N, longitude 120.1°W, about 775 miles WSW of Baja.

Kiko is moving toward the west near 9 mph and this general motion is expected to continue for the next day or two.

A slightly slower motion toward the WNW is forecast by Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph with higher gusts—a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

Some additional strengthening is possible tonight. Gradual weakening is expected to begin by Monday, but Kiko is expected to be at or near major hurricane strength for the next couple of days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 28.53 inches.

11 AM: KIKO QUICKLY STRENGTHENS INTO A HURRICANE

11 AM, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019: KIKO QUICKLY STRENGTHENS INTO A HURRICANE

The center of Hurricane Kiko is located near latitude 17.1°N, longitude 119.3°W, about 730 miles WSW of the southern tip of Baja, Calif.

Kiko is moving toward the west near 12 mph. A westward or WNW course at a slower forward speed is expected during the next several days.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 85 mph, with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is forecast during the day or so, followed by little change in strength Sunday night and Monday. Weakening is expected to begin by Tuesday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 29.09 inches.