Hurricane Kenneth (2005)
| Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Hurricane Kenneth near peak intensity
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| Formed | September 14, 2005 |
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| Dissipated | September 30, 2005 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 130 mph (215 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 947 mbar (hPa); 27.96 inHg |
| Fatalities | None reported |
| Areas affected | Hawaii |
| Part of the 2005 Pacific hurricane season | |
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 135 mph (215 km/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 (305 mm) 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. Despite being located only 625 miles (1010 km) east-southeast of the larger Tropical Depression Ten, the National Hurricane Center remarked the potential for further development of the system; as the depression was further west and moving faster than the system, little interference from Jova was anticipated. The system organized further, and at 1800 UTC on September 14 the National Hurricane Center began classifying it as Tropical Depression Eleven about 900 miles (1450 km) west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The depression maintained a general westward track throughout its entire duration, due to the subtropical ridge to its north.
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