Hurricane Kiko and Tropical Storm Lorena Threaten to Bring Heavy Rain and Flooding to Parts of the U.S.: What to Know

A pair of tropical storms may bring intense rainfall across portions of the southwestern U.S. and Hawaii in the coming days as they approach land. Hurricane Kiko and Tropical Storm Lorena, the latter of which was downgraded from a hurricane on Thursday, are two separate weather systems simultaneously moving through the Pacific Ocean, though in different directions.  Hurricane Kiko, which is moving toward Hawaii, intensified into a Category 4 storm on Wednesday. It was measuring maximum sustained winds of 130 mph as of Thursday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Meteorologists say it is still too early to discern exactly when the storm will reach the islands—or if it will make landfall at all—though it is currently forecast to reach the state some time early-to-mid next week. Kiko is still more than 1,000 miles away from Honolulu and has slightly weakened since late Wednesday, though the storm could become stronger. Meteorologists have not yet issued any watches or warnings due to the hurricane. “If Kiko continues toward Hawaii, even as a less intense tropical storm, it could still bring significant wind and rain to the islands next week,” AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said. Another AccuWeather meteorologist, Tyler Roys, said rainfall of as much as four to eight inches is possible in the eastern and northern Big Island and northern Maui from mid-to-late next week, an amount that could potentially lead to flash flooding or mudslides. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lorena is forecast to make landfall much sooner, bringing heavy rainfall across Mexico through Friday.  “This will increase the risk of life-threatening flash floods and mudslides across northwest Mexico,” a Thursday advisory from the NHC says. The storm’s impact is also expected to reach the southwestern U.S. Arizona and New Mexico in particular are forecast to experience heavy rainfall through Saturday, per the NHC. However, AccuWeather warned the storm’s effects could be much more widespread, causing rain as far as Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma and potentially resulting in flash flooding in those states as a front is expected to drift over the Plains and bring rain and thunderstorms at the same time Lorena may arrive.