| Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
 Hurricane Kiko near peak intensity southwest of Mexico on November 22. | |
| Formed | November 20, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | November 26, 2025 |
| (Remnant low after November 25) | |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 150 mph (240 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 935 mbar (hPa); 27.61 inHg |
| Fatalities | 3 direct, 1 indirect |
| Damage | $6.9 million (2025 USD) |
| Areas affected | Baja California Sur, Western and Northern Mexico, South Texas |
| Part of the 2025 Pacific hurricane season | |
Hurricane Kiko was a late-season Category 4 Pacific hurricane, and the second-strongest Pacific hurricane on record in November. The twelfth named storm, eighth hurricane, and sixth major hurricane of the below-average 2025 Pacific hurricane season, Kiko, developed into a tropical depression on November 20, well south of Mexico. Located within a conductive environment, Kiko began quickly organizing and formed an eye early on November 22, allowing it to undergo rapid intensification. During the afternoon of that same day, Kiko reached its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale with winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a pressure of 935 mbar (hPa; 27.61 inHg). Soon after, Kiko began encountering strong wind shear, which caused the hurricane to weaken quickly, falling to a tropical storm exactly two days after its peak while just south of the Baja California Peninsula. Continuing to weaken, Kiko made landfall just south of Culiacán late on November 25 with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), before degenerating into a remnant low early the next day. Swiftly moving northeast, Kiko dropped heavy rain over northern Mexico and southern Texas before fully dissipating on November 26.
The effects of Kiko as a tropical cyclone were mostly concentrated around the coast, where the storm produced heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding in Mazatlán and triggered landslides that killed three people. As a post-tropical cyclone, Kiko brought more heavy rainfall to the state of Texas and large swells in the Gulf of Mexico, which killed one person just off the coast of Corpus Christi.
Meteorological history[]
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Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale.
On November 3, a tropical wave exited off the western coast of Africa. For almost its entire trek through the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the wave produced only limited convection as the system was embedded within an area of moderate wind shear. Upon reaching the southwestern Caribbean Sea, however, the wave began interacting with a Central American gyre, and produced a large convective mass just before entering the Pacific Ocean late on November 17. Just then, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted the system for potential development within the next few days, giving it a 60% chance of development within the next 48 hours as the system was expected to move an area of warm sea surface temperatures and low vertical wind shear. Early on November 19, a Tehuantepec Gap wind event contributed to the formation of an elongated area of low pressure, which began to quickly consolidate into a well-defined circulation early on November 20. As convection continued to increase, the low was designated as Tropical Depression Thirteen-E at around 06:00 UTC, while situated about 248 mi (400 km) south-southwest of Mazunte, Mexico.
Kiko quickly intensifying on November 21.
Moving along the southern edge of a subtropical ridge, the depression slowly moved west-northwest as it briefly struggled based on satellite imagery estimates, which showed a slightly exposed center. Later that day, however, the storm finally began intensifying steadily as initial environmental conditions were marginal, becoming a tropical storm at around 18:00 UTC, and was assigned the name Kiko by the NHC. Continuing to organize, Kiko developed a central dense overcast as it began entering an area with high sea surface temperatures of 87 °F (30.5 °C) and low wind shear. Early on November 21, Kiko developed intense cloud tops of below −80 °C (−112 °C), well-defined outflow, and a nascent eye as it was on the verge of hurricane status, signaling that the storm was about to begin rapid intensification. During the early afternoon of that same day, Kiko was upgraded to a hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h), while the storm fully developed a tight inner core, and began clearing out its eye. By early November 22, Kiko had finished clearing out its eye upon becoming a Category 2 hurricane and had begun rapidly intensifying further, as indicated by the frequent lightning that formed around its eyewall.
At around 12:00 UTC that day, Kiko had drastically strengthened into a high-end Category 3 major hurricane as the hurricane established a ring of cold cloud tops with distinct outflow. As rapid intensification continued, Kiko was assessed to have reached a peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 935 mbar (hPa; 27.61 inHg) at around 18:00 UTC, just as the hurricane turned northwest in response to a slight weakening of the ridge. Soon after, however, Kiko began to weaken as it began encountering wind shear, which quickly began disrupting the hurricane's circulation and resulted in quick weakening. As wind shear gradually increased, Kiko's appearance became lopsided, as well as its eye becoming more clouded, and thus the storm was downgraded from major hurricane status by 18:00 UTC on November 23. Beginning to accelerate in movement between the ridge and a trough over southern California, Kiko quickly turned northeast as it began weakening more rapidly. During the early afternoon of November 24, Kiko weakened to a tropical storm just as it passed south of the Baja California Peninsula as its circulation became more elongated. Kiko then made landfall at Costa Rica, Sinaloa—about 54 mi (87 km) south-southwest of Culiacán—with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and an estimated pressure of 1000 mbar (hPa; 29.53 inHg), falling to a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC on November 25. Six hours later, Kiko degenerated into a post-tropical cyclone, still tracking northeast into southern Texas before opening up into a trough about 93 mi (151 km) south of San Antonio.
Preparations and impact[]
Mexico[]
Kiko rapidly weakening, just before landfall on November 25.
As Kiko neared its peak on November 22, the Government of Mexico issued a hurricane watch for Baja California Sur from Cabo San Lucas to Los Barriles. This watch was then downgraded to a tropical storm warning as Kiko weakened quicker than expected, but was still forecast to move close to the area. During that time, officials closed multiple schools for November 24–25 and opened at least five shelters, stretching from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz. Multiple flights were also cancelled for that time period. On mainland Mexico, a tropical storm warning was issued between Culiacán and Escuinapa de Hidalgo late on November 22. A tropical storm watch was also issued for the Islas Marías that same day, but was then discontinued a day later. Starting on November 24, multiple shelters began opening in Mazatlán and Culiacán. Altogether, numerous generators and relief crews were mobilized around the expected landfall area, as well as 100 trucks from the Federal Electricity Commission.
In Costa Rica, Sinaloa, peak wind gusts of up to 58 mph (93 km/h) were reported, while gusts of 50 mph (85 km/h) were reported in La Cruz. In Baja California, three boats capsized, taking the lives of 2 people. An unofficial wind gust report of 82 mph (131 km/h) was reported in San José del Cabo, but was later deemed "unreliable". Heavy rainfall in the Sierra Madre Occidental brought numerous landslides, one of which killed a girl in Tayoltita. Coastal towns near the landfall site reported structural damage as a result of the wind gusts, as well as downed trees and widespread loss of power for up to 4 days. In Costa Rica, a maximum rainfall total of 4.33 in (110 mm) was recorded, with the surrounding area averaging 3 in (76 mm). In total, the damages caused by Kiko in Mexico alone amounted to 101.6 million pesos (US$5.5 million), along with 3 fatalities.
United States[]
Rainfall totals for Hurricane Kiko.
On the verge of dissipating, the remnants of Kiko produced torrential rainfall throughout Southern Texas, which peaked at 5.31 in (135 mm) in Alice. This resulted in severe traffic disruptions across the area and delayed the opening of several schools. The system also caused damage to the power grid in Corpus Christi for almost a whole day, leaving around 500 buildings without power. Large swells produced by the storm just off the coast of Corpus Christi capsized a boat, and took the life of a 43-year old man. Another boat reportedly sank as well. Damages generated by Kiko's remnants totaled $1.4 million throughout Texas.