Kiko — 2025

Kiko formed from a tropical wave that moved off Central America late in August. It became a tropical depression at 0000 UTC 31 August about 825 nautical miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, strengthened to a tropical storm later that day, and moved generally westward then west‑northwestward. Kiko underwent rapid strengthening in early September, moved across the eastern Pacific into the central Pacific basin, and weakened to a remnant low by 1200 UTC 10 September. The official best track covers 31 August–10 September 2025. Kiko did not make any landfalls. The cyclone passed north of the main Hawaiian Islands, coming within about 60–70 nautical miles of the western islands, but no coastal watches or warnings were issued and there were no reported coastal impacts from a landfall. The storm reached a peak intensity of 125 knots (approximately 144 mph) early on 4 September with an estimated minimum central pressure of 945 mb. That peak corresponds to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir‑Simpson scale. Aircraft measurements later in the life cycle recorded flight‑level winds and a dropwindsonde minimum pressure of 959 mb on 7 September, but the official peak remains 125 kt and 945 mb. Storm surge and rainfall impacts were minimal to none along land areas. The only observation of tropical‑storm‑force winds over water was from NOAA buoy 51000, which reported sustained winds of 37 kt (about 43 mph) and a peak gust of 41 kt as Kiko passed to the southwest on 9 September. The report contains no specific coastal storm surge measurements or notable rainfall totals for named cities or counties, and no coastal flooding reports were recorded. There were no reports of damage or casualties associated with Kiko; the NHC noted no direct fatalities. The regions most closely monitored were the central and western Hawaiian Islands, but impacts there were negligible. Forecast performance was generally good: genesis location and track forecasts east of 140°W performed better than recent averages, though intensity forecasts underestimated the rapid intensification to peak and overestimated strength late in the cyclone’s life. The report also notes improved performance from some guidance models, including an experimental AI model (GDMI) and the HWRF model, in certain forecast periods.