Hurricane Kenna
| Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Hurricane Kenna at peak intensity
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| Formed | October 22, 2002 |
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| Dissipated | October 26, 2002 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 165 mph (270 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 913 mbar (hPa); 26.96 inHg (fourth lowest in the eastern Pacific) |
| Fatalities | 4 direct |
| Damage | $101 million (2002 USD) |
| Areas affected | Western Mexico, southern United States |
| Part of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season | |
Hurricane Kenna is tied as the third-most intense Pacific hurricane to strike the west coast of Mexico in recorded history. Kenna was the sixteenth tropical depression, thirteenth tropical storm, seventh hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and third Category 5 hurricane of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season. After forming on October 22 to the south of Mexico from a tropical wave, forecasters consistently predicted the storm to strengthen much less than it actually did. Moving into an area of favorable upper-level conditions and warm sea surface temperatures, Kenna quickly strengthened to reach peak winds of 165 mph (265 km/h) on October 25 while located about 255 mi (410 km) southwest of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Weakening as it turned to the northeast, the hurricane struck near San Blas, Nayarit, with winds of 140 mph (225 km/h) before dissipating on October 26 over the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains.
The name "Kenna" was retired from the list of Pacific hurricane names due to its effects on Mexico, which included US$101 million in damage and four deaths. The worst of the hurricane's effects occurred between San Blas in Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, where over 100 people were injured and thousands of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. 95% of the buildings in San Blas were damaged, and hundreds of buildings were destroyed along coastal areas of Puerto Vallarta.
The origin of Hurricane Kenna can be traced to a tropical wave moving westward through the Caribbean Sea on October 16, possibly the same wave that passed near Barbados two days earlier. The wave entered the eastern Pacific Ocean on October 19, and a tropical disturbance along the wave axis gradually became better organized. Conditions favored continued development, and Dvorak classifications began late on October 20. Early on October 22, the system developed into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E while located about 375 mi (605 km) south of Manzanillo, Colima. Initially the depression was disorganized, with little inner convective structure and sporadic deep convection. Computer models predicted an increase in wind shear by 60 hours; as such the National Hurricane Center forecast the depression to strengthen to a peak strength of 45 mph (70 km/h) before weakening.
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Wikipedia