Hurricane Polo intensified into a Category 5 storm on Tuesday while moving off the southwestern coast of Mexico. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami reported maximum sustained winds of 165 mph, categorizing the cyclone as extremely dangerous. While the storm is forecast to remain offshore and not make a direct landfall, its proximity is expected to bring heavy rain and hazardous conditions to several Mexican states.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated during a Tuesday morning briefing that experts do not expect the hurricane to touch land. The Mexican Navy has shut down ports in the states of Guerrero and Michoacán as a precaution. In Acapulco, residents and officials are taking measures such as pulling fishing boats onshore, recalling the damage caused by a hurricane in 2023.
A tropical storm watch is currently in effect from Tecpan de Galeana in Guerrero to the south of Manzanillo in Colima. Forecasters expect the storm to produce 3 to 6 inches of rain in Guerrero and Michoacán through Thursday, which could lead to flash flooding and mudslides. Smaller amounts of precipitation are possible in coastal areas of Oaxaca, Colima, and Jalisco. Authorities have suspended classes in multiple coastal communities. As of Tuesday, Polo was centered approximately 215 miles south of Zihuatanejo and 360 miles south-southeast of Manzanillo.
This storm occurs during an Atlantic hurricane season that has yet to see a single hurricane, a phenomenon attributed by the National Hurricane Center to El Niño conditions. In contrast, the Pacific remains active, with Tropical Storm Odalys also expected to reach hurricane strength. The immediate focus for Mexican authorities remains the monitoring of Polo's trajectory and the enforcement of port closures until the system moves further west-northwest away from the coastline later this week.