Tropical Storm Kay (2004)

Tropical Storm Kay was the 15th tropical cyclone and 11th named storm of the 2004 Pacific hurricane season. Kay developed was a tropical depression on October 4 from an area of disturbed weather. Affected by persistent wind shear throughout its entire duration, Kay peaked as a weak, westward-moving tropical storm. The storm maintained a disorganized cloud pattern due to the effects of the wind shear, and it weakened to a tropical depression on October 5. On October 6, Tropical Depression Kay turned towards the southwest, and dissipated thereafter. Because Kay remained away at sea, no damages, or fatalities were reported on land.

Meteorological history
Kay's origins are believed to have been in an area of disturbed weather that developed in the intertropical convergence zone, well to the southwest of mainland Mexico; the system was not believed to have been related to a tropical wave. Satellite imagery indicated that a low-level center of circulation became better-defined on October 4. The system quickly organized into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E later that day, while located about 590 mi to the southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. As the storm was predicted to be influenced by wind shear, only slow intensification was anticipated upon formation. In addition, a mid-level ridge was expected to steer the depression generally towards the west. Later on October 4, the wind shear disorganized the system, leading to an asymmetric appearance on satellite imagery and unevenly distributed convection. Despite the shear, the depression was approaching tropical storm status; it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Kay at 0600 UTC on October 15.

From October 4–October 6, the storm tracked towards the west under the steering currents of the ridge situated over the southwestern United States. As a result of the persistent wind shear, Kay's center of circulation was located at the northern edge of the thunderstorm activity, and the storm maintained an "unimpressive" cloud pattern. The cyclone attained its peak winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) about six hours after being upgraded to a tropical storm, at which point it began to weaken. The center of circulation became separated from the main area of deep convection, and Kay was reduced to a small low-level swirl of clouds; any cells of thunderstorm activity that developed were quickly sheared to the southwest. Continually weakening, the storm was downgraded to a tropical depression at 1800 UTC on October 5. The depression turned towards the southwest on October 6 and dissipated the next day.

Impact
As Kay remained away from land, no effects, property damage, or fatalities were reported. Also, no ships were affected, and no tropical cyclone warnings and watches were issued.