Hurricane Kenneth was the strongest and longest-tracked hurricane of the 2005 Pacific hurricane season. The eleventh named storm and fifth hurricane of the season,Kenneth developed from a disturbance in the Intertropical Convergence Zone to the southwest of Mexico on September 14. It quickly attained peak winds of 135mph (217km/h) on September 18,before weakening due to increased wind shear and turning to a southwest drift. After weakening to tropical storm status,Kenneth attained a steady west-northwest motion and encountered favorable enough conditions for it to gain power and attain hurricane status on September 25. The cyclone again weakened as its motion halted,and on September 30 Kenneth dissipated a short distance off the Big Island of Hawaii. The remnants of Kenneth produced one of the highest rainfall totals in Hawaii,reaching up to 12 inches (300mm) on Oahu. The rainfall caused flooding,though no major damage was reported.
The origins of Kenneth are believed to have been from a tropical wave that crossed Central America into the eastern North Pacific Ocean on September 9. The system tracked westward within the Intertropical Convergence Zone — a belt of thunderstorm activity across the eastern Pacific Ocean — and on September 13 its associated thunderstorm activity began showing signs of organization. On the next day, Tropical Depression Eleven-E developed 900 miles (1,400km) west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It was also located about 625 miles (1,006km) east-southeast of the larger Hurricane Jova. The depression maintained a general westward track throughout its entire duration, due to the subtropical ridge to its north. With low wind shear and warm water temperatures, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Kenneth early on September 15. The storm quickly developed banding features—spiral rain showers of convection—as its convection formed into a central area of deep convection. Kenneth attained hurricane status early on September 16, and major hurricane status the next day, with a 23-mile (37km) wide eye surrounded by very cold cloud tops. Kenneth strengthened to reach peak sustained winds of 135mph (217km/h), a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, on September 18 about 1,725 miles (2,776km) east of the Big Island of Hawaii.[1][2][3][4][5]
After maintaining peak strength for about 18hours, Kenneth began a sharp weakening trend due to unfavorable north-northeasterly wind shear, caused by Jova. While weakening, the hurricane turned to a southwest drift, due to a weakness in steering currents. By September 21, its circulation was exposed to the east-northeast of the convection.[1] By September 20, its deepest convection was confined to the southern half of the hurricane, and later in the day Kenneth weakened to tropical storm status. Kenneth began a steady west-northwest track due to a weak ridge to its north. However, deep convection re-developed near the center as the outflow became better defined. On September 24, the motion became nearly stationary as steering currents again weakened. Vertical shear sharply declined, allowing the convection to become more symmetrical and for an eye feature to develop. On September 25, Kenneth again attained hurricane status while located about 1,085 miles (1,746km) east-southeast of the Big Island of Hawaii. It maintained minimal hurricane status for about 30hours, during which it entered the area of responsibility of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Increasing shear weakened Kenneth to tropical storm status on September 26, and it began a steady northwest track under the influence of low- to mid-level steering flow. By September 27, most of its convection had dissipated, excluding a small area of thunderstorms to the southeast of the center. Convection intermittently reformed near the center, though the combination of wind shear and cooler water temperatures prevented restrengthening. On September 29, an intensifying upper-level trough over the Hawaiian Islands weakened Kenneth to tropical depression status.Thunderstorms failed to reform, and on September 30 it degenerated into a tropical wave about 40 miles (64km) east of the Big Island of Hawaii. A remnant swirl of clouds later moved onshore of the Big Island.[1][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][12]
Impact and aftermath
Satellite image of Hurricane Jova (left), Kenneth (center), and Tropical Storm Max (right)
The remnants of Kenneth produced rainfall in the Hawaiian Islands when they interacted with an upper-level trough,[12] causing some reports of flash flooding.[1] At Nu‘uanu Pali on Oahu, a gauge recorded a total precipitation of 10.25 inches (260mm); the gauge also reported 1.6 inches (41mm) in 15minutes, as well as 4.11 inches (104mm) in one hour.[15] Peak rainfall totals on Oahu included reports of up to 12 inches (300mm),[12] which puts Kenneth in a three-way tie for ninth on Hawaii's rainiest tropical cyclones list, along with Diana in 1972[16] and a system dubbed "B" from the 1967 season.[17] On October 1, rains caused the Kaukonahua Stream to burst its banks and Lake Wilson to overflow behind the Wahiawa Dam.[18] The rainfall produced up to 1 foot (300mm) of flowing water on Pali Highway, leading to surface runoff which flooded a few homes.[15] On Kauai, the six-hour total at Mount Waialeale was 6.17 inches (157mm).[12] Flash flooding occurred on the Hanalei River, which resulted in the closure of the Kuhio Highway at the Hanalei Bridge. Rapid water level rises also occurred on the Wailua River and the Hanapepe River.[15] Large swells churned up by Kenneth generated surf of 8–10ft (2.4–3.0m) that crashed ashore on September 30 along the east shores of the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Molokai, Maui, and Oahu.[18]
During the 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference, the Hawaii State Civil Defense requested the retirement of the name Kenneth, citing that the storm had become memorable due to threat or damage.[19] However, the World Meteorological Organization did not approve the request, and the name was reused for the 2011 season.[20]
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