TS Kiko Will Become Hurricane as Early as Thursday

Central and East Pacific Basin, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019. PC: NOAA

5 PM HST, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019: NWS National Hurricane Center Miami

KIKO HEADING WEST ONCE AGAIN

At 5 p.m. HST, the center of Tropical Storm Kiko was located near latitude 15.8°N, longitude 127.8°W, approximately 1,265 miles WSW of Baja, California. Kiko is moving toward the west near 6 mph. A westward track is expected through this evening followed by a west-northwestward or northwestward motion on Thursday and Friday. Kiko is then forecast to turn westward yet again by Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is anticipated, and Kiko is expected to become a hurricane again on Thursday or Friday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 29.47 inches.