Hurricane Polo made landfall on Mexico's northern Pacific coast early Tuesday, bringing maximum sustained winds of 110 mph to the state of Baja California Sur. The hurricane struck south of the village of Las Barrancas, causing flash flooding and power outages across the region. Officials reported that the storm moved northeast toward the Gulf of California, with its core expected to move inland over the state of Sonora later Tuesday.
Prior to landfall, the storm reached Category 3 status with winds of 115 mph on Monday. In preparation, Mexican authorities evacuated dozens of people and opened temporary shelters in high schools. The Mexican Navy gathered personnel and humanitarian aid in the ports of Guaymas and Mazatlan to assist communities that might become isolated by the weather.
Meteorologists from the National Hurricane Center reported that Polo could produce between 6 and 12 inches of rain in Baja California Sur, leading to life-threatening mudslides and storm surges. Residents in Puerto San Carlos observed waves cresting sea barriers, while coastal towns like San Juanico faced potential road washouts. In Cabo San Lucas, officials restricted beach access on Monday as a safety precaution.
The hurricane affects residents and tourists in Baja California Sur and Sonora, as well as populations in the U.S. Southwest. In Mexico, the storm impacts approximately 5,700 people in Puerto San Carlos, where earthen barriers were at risk of breaching. Tens of thousands of residents in the storm's path face potential disruptions to electricity and medical access due to flooded roads.
The scale of the event extends into the United States, where moisture from the remnants of Polo is forecast to merge with other weather systems. Meteorologists predict that parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah could see between 6 and 7 inches of rainfall by Thursday. This moisture surge is expected to cause excessive rainfall and flash flooding.
The storm’s activity is part of an above-average Pacific hurricane season influenced by the El Niño climate phenomenon. The presence of multiple systems, including Hurricane Nolo near Hawaii and Tropical Storm Rachel off Mexico’s southwest coast, has occurred during the peak of the season. In Hawaii, federal funding through FEMA has been authorized to address flooding and power outages affecting over 10,000 households on Maui.
Forecasters expect Polo to weaken as it crosses the Baja California peninsula but warn it may maintain hurricane strength through its second landfall in mainland Mexico. Heavy rains are forecast to continue moving into the U.S. Southwest through Thursday. Recovery efforts for power outages in Hawaii were expected to continue through at least midday Monday, according to Hawaiian Electric.