Hurricane Polo makes landfall on Mexico's Pacific coast

Hurricane Polo struck Mexico’s Pacific coast early Tuesday, making landfall just south of the small surfing and fishing village of Las Barrancas on the Baja California Sur peninsula with sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h). The storm’s powerful winds and torrential rain quickly flooded coastal areas, prompting officials to urge residents to seek shelter. Local shopkeeper María Palomino, 57, spent the night in a high school converted into an emergency shelter, while a whale‑watching guide described the storm as arriving “with full force.” The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned that, although Polo is expected to weaken over the peninsula, it will likely retain hurricane strength for a second landfall on mainland Mexico’s Sonora state later Tuesday.

Meteorologists highlighted the severe flooding and mudslide risk posed by the storm’s projected 6‑12 inches (150‑300 mm) of rain across Baja California Sur’s steep terrain, as well as a significant storm surge that could generate large, destructive waves along the coast. Power outages were reported even before the eye arrived, and waves in Puerto San Carlos overtopped sea barriers, forcing evacuations. Dangerous surf and rip currents were expected to persist along north‑western Mexico and the peninsula for at least another day, prompting authorities in tourist hubs such as Cabo San Lucas to restrict beach access. The storm’s intensity has been linked to unusually warm waters driven by the El Niño phenomenon, which has amplified Pacific hurricane activity this season.

Beyond Mexico, Polo’s northeast trajectory is set to transport abundant tropical moisture into the United States, augmenting existing rain bands that are already delivering heavy precipitation across Arizona and California. The remnants of Polo, together with those of Hurricane Odalys, are expected to merge into a broader weather system that could dump an additional 6‑7 inches of rain by Thursday across the Southwest, affecting Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah and raising the threat of flash flooding throughout the region.

⚡ Effects Interpreter