Tropical Storm Kika

Tropical Storm Kika
Tropical storm (SSHS)
	Tropical Storm Kika on August 10.
Formed	August 7, 2008
Dissipated	August 16, 2008
Highest winds	1-minute sustained:; 40 mph (65 km/h)
Lowest pressure	1007 mbar (hPa); 29.74 inHg
Fatalities	None
Damage	None
Areas affected	No land areas
	Part of the 2008 Pacific hurricane season,; 2008 Pacific typhoon season

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Tropical Storm Kika was the only tropical cyclone to form in the central Pacific basin in the 2008 Pacific hurricane season and the first to form in the basin since Hurricane Ioke in 2006. Kika developed out of a tropical wave which was first noted on August 5 while located 1,200 mi (1,930 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii. The wave gradually developed and was declared Tropical Depression One-C the next night. The depression was upgraded further to Tropical Storm Kika that same night. Kika moved towards the west-northwest but was impacted by light to moderate wind shear. This shear led to the storm relocating its center on August 8. Upon relocating, Kika was downgraded to a tropical depression. This was only temporary as Kika was upgraded back to tropical storm status that night. However, a few days later, Kika was downgraded to a tropical depression again. The depression then degenerated into a remnant low-pressure area on August 12 and the final advisory from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center was issued. The remnant low continued moving towards the west-northwest before crossing the International Date Line and moving into the western Pacific basin on August 14. Shortly after entering the western Pacific, Kika regenerated into a tropical depression. Kika did not develop further and dissipated on August 16.

[edit] Meteorological history

Storm path

On the morning of August 5, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center began monitoring an area of low pressure embedded in a surface trough 1,200 mi (1,930 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii for signs of development.^[1] Despite the system being disorganized, it was in an area favorable for development and slow development was anticipated.^[2] The system became better organized later in the day as the system was classified as a tropical disturbance, but it was still embedded within the trough.^[3] The disturbance gradually developed throughout the day and by the nighttime hours, a tropical cyclone formation alert was issued as the formation of a tropical cyclone out of the system was anticipated over the following 24 hours.^[4] The disturbance was declared Tropical Depression One-C later that night while located 850 mi (1,370 km) southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.^[5] The depression was being steered toward the west at 14 mph (22 km/h) by easterly trade winds caused by large subtropical high pressure area located northeast of Hawaii.^[6]

The depression was quickly upgraded to Tropical Storm Kika late that night as the Dvorak technique—a system used to estimate the intensity of a tropical cyclone—rendered a T2.5, which corresponds to an intensity of 40 mph (65 km/h). The direction of the storm shifted slightly upon being upgraded as well towards the west-northwest.^[7] By the morning of August 7, wind shear of about 12 mph (19 km/h) was impacting the small storm, restricting outflow to the eastern side of the storm.^[8] Despite being in an area favorable for development, Kika was not intensifying. However, the five-day forecast showed modest intensification to a strong tropical storm with winds peaking at 60 mph (95 km/h).^[9] The overall structure of Kika remained unchanged for the rest of the day as it continued towards the west-northwest.^[10] By the morning of August 8, Kika became slightly disorganized as the easterly flow which had been steering the storm and restricting the outflow to the east began to have a greater impact on the system. Intensity estimates dropped below tropical storm intensity. However, since the estimates dropped not long before the advisory came out, Kika was not downgraded.^[11] With the first visible satellite images of the day taken of Kika, an exposed low was discovered. The storm had also relocated to the southwest and was downgraded to a tropical depression based on the lack of convection.^[12]

However, deep convection quickly redeveloped in the afternoon and forecasts showed Kika re-strengthening into a tropical storm that night.^[13] That evening, as forecast, Kika re-intensified and was upgraded to a tropical storm again.^[14] Despite deep convection remaining near the center of the storm, the overall structure of Kika became less organized just before noon on August 9. Despite wind shear significantly diminishing, the storm was moving over cooling water, which lessened intensification.^[15] Thunderstorm activity gradually became better organized throughout the rest of the day but intensity estimates were showing that Kika had weakened to a tropical depression once more. Against the estimates, due to the increase in organization, Kika remained a tropical storm through the night.^[16] However, the structure of Kika once more became disorganized and by the morning of August 10, the storm was barely a tropical storm, with an intensity, in the forecasters words, a "generous 35 kt" (40 mph 65 km/h).^[17] This deterioration trend continued through the afternoon and led to Kika being downgraded to a tropical depression. Only isolated bursts of thunderstorms remained around the center and satellites found winds of only 25 mph (40 km/h).^[18]

On the morning of August 11, a sudden redevelopment in convection led forecast models to re-intensify Kika once more. One model, called SHIPS, showed Kika reaching typhoon status—since Kika was forecast to cross the International Date Line in 48–72 hours.^[19] The redevelopment was short lived, as by the afternoon of that same day, the storm rapidly deteriorated, leaving the low-level circulation partially exposed.^[20] Kika degenerated into a remnant low-pressure area that night and the final advisory from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center was issued while the storm was located 400 mi (645 km) south-southwest of Johnston Island.^[21] The remnant low was last noted on August 14 as it crossed the International Date Line, out of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility.^[22] Shortly after crossing the dateline, the remnant low entered the western Pacific basin and regenerated into a tropical depression. The depression continued to move towards the west-southwest before dissipating on August 16 over open waters.^[23]

[edit] Impact

Since Kika remained far away from any land masses, no tropical storm watches or warnings were issued and there were no ship reports of tropical storm force winds in the vicinity of Kika.