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Tropical Storm Kiko (2007)
Encyclopedia
Tropical Storm Kiko was a strong tropical storm that capsized a boat off the western coast of Mexico, killing at least 15 people. The 15th and final tropical cyclone
of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season
, Kiko developed out of a tropical wave
that formed off the coast of Africa on September 26 and traversed the Atlantic
. The wave crossed over Central America
and entered the Pacific Ocean on October 8, where it spawned Tropical Depression 15-E on October 15. The depression drifted to the south over the next day before briefly being declared Tropical Storm Kiko. It subsequently weakened into a tropical depression, but later reattained tropical storm intensity. By October 18, Kiko was forecast to make landfall
along the western Mexican coastline as a moderate tropical storm. However, the cyclone turned to the west and reached its peak intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) on October 20. The tropical storm slowly weakened to a remnant low-pressure area
by October 24 and completely dissipated on October 27 without making landfall.
exited the western coast of Africa on September 26, quickly spawning an area of low pressure
. Upon the formation of the low, the wave split into two pieces and a second area of low pressure developed along the southern portion of the wave as it traveled west. The northern low quickly developed, spawning Tropical Depression Fourteen on September 28. The southern low attached to the wave failed to develop and moved away from the intensifying tropical depression
. It continued through the Atlantic
, entering the Pacific Ocean, after crossing Central America
, on October 8. A broad area of low pressure accompanied by showers and thunderstorms developed along the wave around 275 miles (440 kilometres) south of Acapulco, Mexico
. However, the low remained disorganized because of strong upper-level winds
. On October 13, the low became better organized due to a relaxation in the shear. The low developed enough convection
late on October 14 to be declared Tropical Depression Fifteen-E while located about 435 mi (705 km) southwest of Colima, Mexico
.
The depression was embedded within a broad, low-level cyclone with weak steering currents that caused Fifteen-E to drift southward for the next 30 hours. On October 16, strong easterly wind shear
exposed the center of the depression from shower and thunderstorm activity. However, a curving convective band
developed around the system, and satellites detected winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). This prompted the National Hurricane Center
to upgrade the depression to Tropical Storm Kiko as it drifted about 430 mi (695 km) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. The intensification was short-lived, and Kiko was downgraded to a tropical depression six hours later when the center separated from diminishing convection. On October 17, the storm was upgraded to a tropical storm when the low became associated with deep convection. The center remained poorly defined, and winds of tropical storm-force blew only in Kiko's southwest quadrant. Over the next few days, Kiko moved slowly towards the east-northeast as a minimal tropical storm and was forecast to either brush land or to make landfall along the Mexican coast on October 19 or October 20. However, early on October 19, Kiko turned to the northwest when a high-pressure ridge
developed over Mexico. Forecasters predicted that the storm would become a strong Category 1 hurricane
as it turned away from Mexico and headed to sea.
As the ridge pushed the storm away from the coast, weaker wind shear and warm sea-surface temperatures allowed Kiko to gradually intensify. The storm reached its peak intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) 991 mbar
(hPa
; 29.28 inHg
) late on October 20 while located around 175 mi (280 km) west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. As it moved away from the coast, an eye
began to form. Shortly thereafter, shear increased and began to separate the low from the deep convection. By the afternoon of October 21, the storm was poorly organized and the center was partially exposed. At this time, the weakening system had winds sustained at 50 mph (85 km/h). Early on October 22, a brief burst in showers and thunderstorms allowed the storm to maintain its intensity. That evening, Kiko was downgraded to a tropical depression as strong wind shear removed convection from the storm's center and exposed the low. As the depression moved over a dryer and more hostile area, two inhibiting factors for development of tropical cyclones, it slowly weakened. It lost almost all convection and degenerated to a remnant low-pressure area
on October 23, and the National Hurricane Center issued its final advisory that night. The remnant low moved west before dissipating on October 27 over open waters.
On October 18, a tropical storm warning
was issued along the Mexican coastline from Zihuatanejo, Guerrero
to Manzanillo, Colima
, and a tropical storm watch extended northward to La Fortuna, Mexico, as Kiko was forecast to make landfall in that region on October 21. Above-normal tides and dangerous waves were expected along the coast. Rainfall totals of 4 inches (100 millimetres) to 7 in (180 mm) were possible over southwestern Mexico with isolated totals reaching 10 in (250 mm). As a precaution, port captains shut down shipping and advised residents to avoid low-lying areas that might flood. Civil Defense advised these residents to move to temporary shelters and tourists were told to stay indoors. Emergency procedures were on standby in case conditions became more threatening.
As the storm neared land, a ridge over Mexico prevented Kiko from coming ashore, resulting in far less damage than forecast. As Kiko traveled parallel to the coast, heavy rain affected the region for two days. In Kiko's rough seas off the coast of Mexico, a ship capsized with twenty-five passengers and crew. Continued effects from Kiko hampered rescue efforts, forcing officials to call off the rescue attempt. Authorities searched the beaches of San Francisco Ixhuatan
and San Francisco del Mar
for any signs of the ship. Only two people survived; fifteen bodies were recovered, and nine passengers were never found.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season
2007 Pacific hurricane season
The 2007 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It officially started on May 15, 2007 in the eastern Pacific, designated as the area east of 140°W, and on June 1, 2007 in the central Pacific, which is between the International Date Line and 140°W,...
, Kiko developed out of a tropical wave
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
that formed off the coast of Africa on September 26 and traversed the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The wave crossed over Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and entered the Pacific Ocean on October 8, where it spawned Tropical Depression 15-E on October 15. The depression drifted to the south over the next day before briefly being declared Tropical Storm Kiko. It subsequently weakened into a tropical depression, but later reattained tropical storm intensity. By October 18, Kiko was forecast to make landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
along the western Mexican coastline as a moderate tropical storm. However, the cyclone turned to the west and reached its peak intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) on October 20. The tropical storm slowly weakened to a remnant low-pressure area
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
by October 24 and completely dissipated on October 27 without making landfall.
Meteorological history
A tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
exited the western coast of Africa on September 26, quickly spawning an area of low pressure
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
. Upon the formation of the low, the wave split into two pieces and a second area of low pressure developed along the southern portion of the wave as it traveled west. The northern low quickly developed, spawning Tropical Depression Fourteen on September 28. The southern low attached to the wave failed to develop and moved away from the intensifying tropical depression
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
. It continued through the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, entering the Pacific Ocean, after crossing Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, on October 8. A broad area of low pressure accompanied by showers and thunderstorms developed along the wave around 275 miles (440 kilometres) south of Acapulco, Mexico
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
. However, the low remained disorganized because of strong upper-level winds
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
. On October 13, the low became better organized due to a relaxation in the shear. The low developed enough convection
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
late on October 14 to be declared Tropical Depression Fifteen-E while located about 435 mi (705 km) southwest of Colima, Mexico
Colima, Colima
Colima is capital of the state of the same name, a city and municipality located in the center west of Mexico. It is located near the Colima Volcano, which divides the small state from that of Jalisco. Despite being the capital, the city is not the state’s main tourist attraction, eclipsed by...
.
The depression was embedded within a broad, low-level cyclone with weak steering currents that caused Fifteen-E to drift southward for the next 30 hours. On October 16, strong easterly wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
exposed the center of the depression from shower and thunderstorm activity. However, a curving convective band
Rainband
A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands can be stratiform or convective, and are generated by differences in temperature. When noted on weather radar imagery, this precipitation elongation is referred to as...
developed around the system, and satellites detected winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). This prompted the National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
to upgrade the depression to Tropical Storm Kiko as it drifted about 430 mi (695 km) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. The intensification was short-lived, and Kiko was downgraded to a tropical depression six hours later when the center separated from diminishing convection. On October 17, the storm was upgraded to a tropical storm when the low became associated with deep convection. The center remained poorly defined, and winds of tropical storm-force blew only in Kiko's southwest quadrant. Over the next few days, Kiko moved slowly towards the east-northeast as a minimal tropical storm and was forecast to either brush land or to make landfall along the Mexican coast on October 19 or October 20. However, early on October 19, Kiko turned to the northwest when a high-pressure ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
developed over Mexico. Forecasters predicted that the storm would become a strong Category 1 hurricane
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
as it turned away from Mexico and headed to sea.
As the ridge pushed the storm away from the coast, weaker wind shear and warm sea-surface temperatures allowed Kiko to gradually intensify. The storm reached its peak intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) 991 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
(hPa
Pascal (unit)
The pascal is the SI derived unit of pressure, internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus and tensile strength, named after the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. It is a measure of force per unit area, defined as one newton per square metre...
; 29.28 inHg
Inch of mercury
Inches of mercury, ' is a unit of measurement for pressure. It is still widely used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States, but is seldom used elsewhere....
) late on October 20 while located around 175 mi (280 km) west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. As it moved away from the coast, an eye
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
began to form. Shortly thereafter, shear increased and began to separate the low from the deep convection. By the afternoon of October 21, the storm was poorly organized and the center was partially exposed. At this time, the weakening system had winds sustained at 50 mph (85 km/h). Early on October 22, a brief burst in showers and thunderstorms allowed the storm to maintain its intensity. That evening, Kiko was downgraded to a tropical depression as strong wind shear removed convection from the storm's center and exposed the low. As the depression moved over a dryer and more hostile area, two inhibiting factors for development of tropical cyclones, it slowly weakened. It lost almost all convection and degenerated to a remnant low-pressure area
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
on October 23, and the National Hurricane Center issued its final advisory that night. The remnant low moved west before dissipating on October 27 over open waters.
Preparations and impact
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
was issued along the Mexican coastline from Zihuatanejo, Guerrero
Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo or Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, is the fourth-largest city in the Mexican state of Guerrero. Politically the city belongs to the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta in the western part of Guerrero, but both are commonly referred to as Zihuatanejo...
to Manzanillo, Colima
Manzanillo, Colima
The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period...
, and a tropical storm watch extended northward to La Fortuna, Mexico, as Kiko was forecast to make landfall in that region on October 21. Above-normal tides and dangerous waves were expected along the coast. Rainfall totals of 4 inches (100 millimetres) to 7 in (180 mm) were possible over southwestern Mexico with isolated totals reaching 10 in (250 mm). As a precaution, port captains shut down shipping and advised residents to avoid low-lying areas that might flood. Civil Defense advised these residents to move to temporary shelters and tourists were told to stay indoors. Emergency procedures were on standby in case conditions became more threatening.
As the storm neared land, a ridge over Mexico prevented Kiko from coming ashore, resulting in far less damage than forecast. As Kiko traveled parallel to the coast, heavy rain affected the region for two days. In Kiko's rough seas off the coast of Mexico, a ship capsized with twenty-five passengers and crew. Continued effects from Kiko hampered rescue efforts, forcing officials to call off the rescue attempt. Authorities searched the beaches of San Francisco Ixhuatan
San Francisco Ixhuatán
San Francisco Ixhuatán is a town, and the surrounding municipality of the same name, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.It is part of the Juchitán District in the west of the Istmo de Tehuantepec region....
and San Francisco del Mar
San Francisco del Mar
San Francisco del Mar is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. It is part of the Juchitán District in the west of the Istmo de Tehuantepec region....
for any signs of the ship. Only two people survived; fifteen bodies were recovered, and nine passengers were never found.
See also
- Other tropical cyclones named KikoTropical Storm KikoThe name Kiko has been used in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.* 1983's Hurricane Kiko* Hurricane Kiko * 2001's Hurricane Kiko* Tropical Storm Kiko - killed 15 people in Mexico...
- Other East Pacific tropical storms
- List of Pacific hurricanes
- Timeline of the 2007 Pacific hurricane seasonTimeline of the 2007 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 2007 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. This timeline documents all the storm formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipation...