Tropical Storm Kevin formed early Thursday in the Eastern Pacific about 500 miles off the coast of Mexico.
The 11th named storm of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season was located 440 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and circulating 60 mph winds as of Thursday evening, National Hurricane Center forecasters said. The storm, which is not expected to come near the Hawaiian Islands, is forecast to peak with 60 mph winds as it heads north off the coast of Mexico before starting to weaken Friday. By Sunday morning, Kevin is expected to be a tropical depression circulating 25 mph winds about 700 miles southwest of San Diego, Calif.
While Kevin is forecast to dissipate by Tuesday, an area of showers and thunderstorms off the coast of southern Mexico could see some tropical cyclone development over the weekend. Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center in Miami gave the disturbance a 30 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone by early next week.
Closer to the Hawaiian Islands, Tropical Storm Ignacio and Hurricane Jimena continued to churn Thursday, Central Pacific Hurricane Center forecasters based in Honolulu said.
Ignacio, which restrengthened to a hurricane Wednesday before weakening to a tropical storm Thursday morning, was located 705 miles north-northwest of Honolulu and featured maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. Gradual weakening is forecast through Saturday as the storm moves north and farther away from the islands.
Hurricane Jimena, located 690 miles east of Hilo and packing 100 mph winds Thursday evening, is also forecast to track north of the Hawaiian Islands, forecasters said. Jimena is expected to begin weakening late Thursday into Friday night as it encounters cooler sea surface temperatures and increased wind shear. It could be downgraded to a tropical storm Saturday.
Early next week, the current forecast track shows Jimena making a sharp turn toward the west. By 2 a.m. Tuesday, the storm could be located about 600 miles northeast of Kailua-Kona. At that time, maximum sustained winds are expected to be around 50 mph.
High surf fueled by Jimena and Ignacio is forecast to continue impacting the Big Island’s shores into early next week. A high surf warning for east-facing shores and a high surf advisory for south-facing shores remains in effect until 6 p.m. Saturday. Forecasters called for 12- to 18-foot waves along east-facing shores and 6-foot waves along south-facing shores.
Elsewhere, no tropical cyclones are expected to form through Saturday afternoon, forecasters said.
The Central North and Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons run through Nov. 30.
Get more hurricane-related content, including preparation tips, evacuation info and daily tropical weather updates, on our hurricane season page, sponsored by Clark Realty, at www.westhawaiitoday.com/hurricane-season-2015.
