Hurricane Polo made landfall early Tuesday morning in Baja California Sur as a Category 2 storm, unleashing life-threatening winds and torrential downpours across the Mexican peninsula. As civil protection agencies closed ports and suspended travel, officials warned that the storm’s heavy moisture will push northward into the U.S. Southwest later this week.
Landfall and Impacts Across Baja California Sur
The storm struck land just south of Las Barrancas in Comondú municipality, carrying maximum sustained winds of 110 mph and higher gusts as it moved northeast, according to data from the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. Just a day earlier, Polo had operated as a powerful Category 3 system with winds reaching 115 mph before weakening slightly right before its arrival.
Hurricane Polo made landfall early Tuesday in the Mexican state of Baja California with flash flooding and winds described by forecasters as life-threatening.
The Category 2 hurricane struck land just south of Las Barrancas, Mexico, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Cabo San Lucas. El huracán Polo tocó tierra en México la madrugada de este martes como categoría 2 en la escala de Saffir-Simpson. De acuerdo con el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN), el huracán tocó tierra aproximadamente a las 00:00 horas (tiempo del centro de México) en las inmediaciones de la localidad de Las Barrancas, en el municipio de Comondú, en Baja California Sur, con vientos máximos sostenidos de 175 kilómetros y rachas de 205 kilómetros por hora. El reporte meteorológico del Centro Nacional de Huracanes de Estados Unidos, ubicó a Polo justo en el límite entre las categorías 2 y 3 sobre 5 en la escala Saffir Simpson. Es el primero de esta temporada que toca tierra en una zona habituada a los ciclones tropicales, que este año, sin embargo, se prevén más intensos por el fenómeno de El Niño.
Fishing Villages Brace Against Storm Surges
In Puerto San Carlos, a fishing community of approximately 5,700 residents, families scrambled to reinforce properties against rising tides and pounding waves that began breaching local sea barriers.
Civil Protection told those of us here in San Carlos to evacuate because this is a high-risk area. With the current tides, the expected waves and the wind, the earthen barriers they built (to prevent flooding) could give way
Rocío Sánchez, fisherwoman, via Associated Press
Wind whipped Mexico’s northern Pacific coast and water began to flood some streets Monday as Hurricane Polo bore down on Baja California Sur, threatening flash floods and mudslides. Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo could still bring torrential rain to parts of Hawaii even as the storm edged away from the state. In Puerto San Carlos, a fishing town of about 5,700 people, high tides and pounding waves from Polo were breaching sea barriers as residents worried for their homes in the mostly empty town. Hundreds of people in the region evacuated, hunkering down in nearby shelters in schools and other facilities.
Homeowners battered by Hurricane Marie earlier this month are reinforcing their properties as Hurricane Polo brings high surf and the potential for more coastal flooding to Southern California. Many say they are much more prepared this time. Preparations have been underway for days, with berms rebuilt along the coast and sandbags placed in front of garage doors and homes in areas that experienced heavy flooding during the last storm over Labor Day weekend.
The city is taking this a lot more seriously than it did the last time around and is preparing a lot more
Marc Coleman, Long Beach resident
Long Beach is preparing for another round of coastal flooding and high surf as Hurricane Polo moves off the Pacific coastline. Eyewitness News spotted new reinforcements along the Long Beach boardwalk, where waves generated by Hurricane Marie previously left some sections splintered.
They’ve secured parts of the boardwalk that were broken and parts of the seawall that were broken to try and shore up
Eyewitness News report
Flash Flood Threats Expand Into the U.S. Southwest
Forecasters anticipate that the system will drop between 6 and 12 inches of rain across parts of Baja California Sur, creating severe risks for flash floods and mudslides along steep terrain. As Polo tracks northeast and weakens over mainland Mexico, its remnant moisture is expected to merge with conditions from former hurricane Odalys, threatening the U.S. Southwest with heavy rainfall. Ten states are forecast to see dangerous downpours and thunderstorms this week.
Pacific Basin Storm Activity and Concurrent Systems
Polo’s development coincides with an unusually active Pacific hurricane season. Satellite imagery captures Hurricane Polo, Tropical Storm Rachel and the remnants of Odalys churning in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Sunday into Monday.
