Eastern Pacific Hurricane: Tropical Storm Kay Expected to Hit Mexico, Southwest US This Week

The Eastern Pacific hurricane season had its fair share of absence of storms recently.

Now, a weather disturbance in the East Pacific basin recorded its eight storm of the season named "Tropical Storm Kay."

The National Hurricane Center (NHC), along with other US meteorologists, have monitored the storm system, which is expected to hit Mexico and the Southwest US this week.

TS Kay is currently impacting the Mexican coastline with strong thunderstorms reported the coast on Sunday, September 4, which is reportedly evidence that it will continue to intensify.

Forecasts indicated heavy rainfall and flash flooding are possible in the inland parts of Mexico.

As the week progresses, the storm could reach the tip of Southwest US by the evening of Friday, September 9.

The 2022 Pacific hurricane season started on May 15 and will last until November 30.

It is part of the current cycle of the annual "tropical cyclone season" in the East Pacific Ocean and Central Pacific Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere.

In the case of Kay, the system developed in the Eastern Pacific basin, wherein storms normally hit the western parts of North America and Central America.

The intensification of Kay comes as two storms named "Hurricane Danielle" and "Tropical Storm Earl" strengthened off the Eastern US coast since last week.

After a quiet August, the recent storm developments make September to have an active start for the Atlantic hurricane season.

Danielle could soon affect the UK, while TS Earl was projected to impact the US Gulf Coast and the Caribbean region.

Tropical Storm Kay

Tropical Kay currently has a maximum sustained winds of up to 45 miles per hour and moving slowly in a northwestward pattern at 14 mph off Southwest Mexico as of 11:00 p.m. CDT (local time) on Sunday, according to the NHC.

The US hurricane agency has also issued marine warnings for the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

This means that there is a risk of strong winds and high waves in the region, which could pose life-threatening risks for maritime activities, as well as result in coastal flooding in the mainland.

Thunderstorm Alert

AccuWeather meteorologists are also monitoring the movement of the Eastern Pacific previously tropical rainstorm even before it intensified into a tropical storm on Sunday afternoon.

The current situation in Mexico is nothing out of the ordinary, as thunderstorms are only producing torrential rain near and south of Acapulco, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert.

The widespread rainfall in the region could result in several inches of rainfall in the Baja Peninsula.

TS Kay is also predicted to reach its peak wind strength by mid-week as it navigates toward the peninsula, AccuWeather added.

Strengthening Storm Systems

In the other side of the Atlantic, Fox Weather said Hurricane Danielle and TS Earl are contributing into a busier September as both storms still travel the Atlantic Ocean, with Danielle become the fist Atlantic hurricane of the season after it intensified on Friday, September 2.

As for Earl, the US media agency cited major computer models show it will remain a concern for mariners but it could get closer to Bermuda later in the week.