Hurricane Kiko Explodes into Major Category 4 Storm

The recent surge of tropical activity in the Eastern Pacific includes a hurricane that could brush by Hawaii in the days ahead. Here is the latest on Hurricane Kiko and what the Hawaiian Islands should expect from this tropical weather machine.

Latest Update on Hurricane Kiko

Hurricane Kiko is strengthening as it continues its journey to the west across the Pacific Ocean. As of the latest update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Kiko is moving at a speed of 9 mph on a due west track. Kiko is currently a Category 4 storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. After coming to life as a tropical storm on Monday, the feature quickly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday.

The storm is spinning about halfway between southern Mexico and the Hawaiian Islands. The latest forecast models indicate that Kiko could usher in torrential rain, the threat of flooding, high winds, and dangerous surf conditions to Hawaii beginning the middle of next week. There is even an outside chance that Kiko could make landfall on the island chain, a rarity for Hawaii.

Kiko is entering a portion of the Eastern Pacific that is conducive to further intensification over the next day or two. Warm ocean waters and limited amounts of wind shear will continue to support the storm as it meanders toward the west before taking a turn to the west-northwest. Forecasters warn that Kiko could briefly reach the status of a Category 5 storm, defined as a hurricane with winds of 157 mph or higher.

The good news for Hawaii is that Kiko will enter cooler waters over the weekend. This factor will pair with an increase in disruptive winds to bring Kiko's intensity down a notch or two.

However, Kiko could still deliver disruptions to Hawai'i even as a tropical storm. This means that the islands need to be ready for a number of impacts.

The mountains that dot the landscape of Hawaii's Big Island generally serve as a source of protection from storms coming in from the east. The natural barrier steers the tropical weather events around the island. That said, a storm does not need to make a direct strike to wreak havoc in the form of heavy rain and strong winds.