Kevin (2009)

A tropical depression formed from a tropical wave about 890–910 nautical miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California on 29 August 2009. The system strengthened to Tropical Storm Kevin later that day and moved generally northward through 1 September. Convection near the center was intermittent; Kevin reached its greatest convective intensity early on 30 August and weakened thereafter, becoming a remnant low on 31 August and dissipating by 6 September while well offshore.

Kevin did not make landfall. It stayed over the open eastern North Pacific throughout its life and therefore produced no direct impacts on land.

The storm’s peak intensity occurred from about 0600 to 1200 UTC on 30 August, with maximum sustained winds of 45 kt (about 52 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 1000 mb. At peak strength Kevin was a weak tropical storm (below hurricane strength).

Because Kevin remained far from land, there were no reported storm surge measurements or rainfall totals associated with the cyclone at populated locations.

There were no reports of damage or casualties—no direct or indirect deaths were attributed to Kevin. The storm’s impacts were limited to the open ocean.

Forecasts successfully anticipated the system’s genesis well in advance: the precursor wave was mentioned in the Tropical Weather Outlook 84 hours before depression formation, and the probability of development was raised to “high” about 18 hours before genesis. Official track and intensity forecasts performed near or better than recent averages at short lead times, though longer-range intensity forecasts tended to hold Kevin near peak strength too long.