Tropical Storm Kiko: Storm forming off coast of Mexico expected to become hurricane 'in next couple of days'
A new tropical storm has formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean, more than 1,000 miles off the coast of Mexico.
Tropical Storm Kiko developed early Sunday and is expected to become a hurricane later this week, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. The hurricane center did not issue any coastal watches or warnings.
"Strengthening is expected during the next couple of days, and the system is forecast to become a hurricane by Tuesday," the hurricane center said. The storm's center was located about 1,045 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 40 mph. It is moving west at a speed of 9 mph.
It becomes a hurricane when the wind speed reaches 74 mph. A storm is considered a major hurricane if the wind speed goes over 110 mph, according to the NHC. Kiko is the 11th named storm in the Eastern North Pacific this year.
So far this year, Tropical Storm Chantal is the only one to have made landfall in the U.S., bringing deadly flooding to North Carolina in early July. Tropical Storm Kiko is not an immediate threat to land in Mexico but it will funnel deep tropical moisture toward Baja California Sur that could mean on-and-off rain for more than a week.