Tracking powerful hurricane Kiko as it heads towards Hawaii

Kiko formed off the coast of southern Mexico from a tropical wave. It became a tropical storm on Aug. 31, making it the eleventh named storm of the eastern Pacific hurricane season. Kiko intensified into a hurricane on Sept. 2. 

Kiko intensified into a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 3. It weakened to a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 115 mph during the morning hours on Sept. 5, but by the afternoon it had re-intensified back into a Category 4 hurricane.

It currently has maximum winds of 140 mph. It is moving west-northwest at 10 mph and is located roughly 1000 miles east-southeast of Hilo, HI.

It is a much smaller storm than Hurricane Erin. Hurricane-force winds extend only 25 miles out from the center, with tropical storm-force winds extending 70 miles out from the center. 

Models have Kiko taking a west-northwesterly track over the weekend into next week, coming close to Hawaii. 

While it’s too soon for impact details, the cooler waters near the Aloha State should weaken Kiko greatly. We’ll continue to monitor the track and provide updates. 

Storms that have come close to Hawaii

Hurricane Hone passed just to the south of the Big Island of Hawaii in 2024 as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 85 mph. Here are other cyclones that came close to the islands.

Eastern North Pacific names

Central North Pacific differences

The National Hurricane Center monitors tropical activity in the Atlantic and North Eastern Pacific Ocean. If a storm forms between 140° West longitude and the International Date Line, it is the responsibility of the Central North Pacific Warning Center, located in Honolulu, HI. 

There is a contrast in the names used in the Central Pacific compared to the Eastern Pacific and Atlantic. One list is composed of twelve names. 

The names are used one after the other. When the bottom of one list is reached, the next name is at the top of the next list. Below is the current list. 

It is interesting to note that if a storm forms in the Eastern North Pacific and is named in that basin, it will retain its name even if it moves into the Central North Pacific. For this reason, we are tracking Hurricane Kiko, since it formed east of 140° West longitude.

Tropical Storm Akoni and Tropical Storm Ema formed in the Central North Pacific in 2019. Hurricane Hone brushed past Hawaii in 2024.

This list will continue to be used until there is a storm named Wale. Three other lists have been generated by the World Meteorological Organization and are at the ready if needed. Hurricane Iona and Tropical Storm Keli formed in the Central North Pacific in 2025.

Just like in the Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific, if storms are impactful, they can be retired. Four storms have been retired in the Central North Pacific. 

• Iwa (1982): Retired after impacting Hawaii.
• Iniki (1992): Retired after affecting Hawaii.
• Paka (1997): Retired after affecting various islands in Micronesia.
• Ioke (2006): Retired after impacting Micronesia.

You can track the rest of the tropics here. 

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