Hurricane Polo reaches Category 5: National Hurricane Center tracks powerful storm as Mexico faces dangerous weather risks

Hurricane Polo, one of the Pacific’s strongest storms in decades, skirts Mexico as El Niño fuels rapid intensification. For a storm that was expected to remain offshore, Hurricane Polo was still powerful enough to put Mexico’s Pacific coast on edge. Within just 24 hours, the storm intensified with extraordinary speed, reaching Category 5 strength while remaining south of Mexico. Its winds climbed to as high as 175 mph, placing the hurricane among the most powerful Pacific storms seen in decades, as per a report by Fox News, KTLA and MyNews LA.

The immediate danger was not only the wind. Heavy rain, dangerous surf, flooding, mudslides and powerful waves threatened coastal communities, while forecasters also warned that the storm could eventually bring peripheral effects to Southern California.

How strong did Hurricane Polo become?

Polo was described by the National Hurricane Center as an “extremely dangerous” hurricane after an NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft flew into the storm. At its strongest, the hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, although later updates placed its winds around 165 mph. Polo was centered roughly 210 to 215 miles south of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and was nearly stationary over the Pacific.

The storm was expected to turn northwest before moving generally west-northwest over the following days.

Polo became the third Category 5 hurricane of the Pacific season, following Genevieve and Lowell. Category 5 is the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale and applies to storms with sustained winds above 157 mph.

National Hurricane Center data showed Polo reaching wind speeds comparable to only a small number of hurricanes in the region in recent decades. Hurricane Patricia, which reached 215 mph in 2015, remained the notable comparison.

“This is one of the strongest storms ever in the (Pacific) Basin,” said Kristen L. Corbosiero, professor at the University at Albany’s Department of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences.

Why did Polo strengthen so quickly?

The speed at which Polo intensified surprised scientists and authorities. The National Hurricane Center described the storm’s strengthening over a 24-hour period as “truly remarkable.”

Philip Klotzbach, a research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, linked the rapid intensification to El Niño.

In the Pacific, El Niño has produced warmer ocean waters and wind patterns that can provide favorable conditions for hurricanes to strengthen rapidly.

“There are all the ingredients that hurricanes need to get really strong really fast,” Klotzbach said.

The storm’s development brought back memories of Hurricane Otis, which devastated Acapulco in 2023. That storm also intensified rapidly, leaving residents with little time to prepare, move boats or evacuate.

What is Mexico facing from the storm?

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said experts believed Polo was unlikely to make direct landfall. Even so, authorities took precautions as the hurricane approached the southwestern coast.

Mexico’s navy closed ports in Guerrero and Michoacán and warned civilians and fishermen to be careful. Authorities also temporarily suspended classes in several areas.

The National Hurricane Center warned of tropical storm conditions along parts of the Pacific coast in Guerrero, Michoacán and Colima.

Rainfall of around 3 to 6 inches was forecast for Guerrero and Michoacán, with smaller amounts possible in coastal parts of Oaxaca, Colima and Jalisco.

The concern extended beyond rainfall. Heavy precipitation could trigger flash flooding and mudslides, while rough seas, rip currents and unusually large waves created additional dangers.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico urged Americans to stay away from beaches and water and follow instructions from Mexican authorities.

“Even if the storm does not make direct landfall, heavy rain may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides. Hazardous ocean conditions—intensified by storms—may result in deadly rip currents and rogue waves,” the embassy wrote in a statement.

In Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, Concepción López Villegas watched strong waves reach the coastline while preparing her seaside restaurant.

“We’re worried and trying to protect our businesses,” López Villegas said. “And of course, we’re sad because it’s our heritage, our legacy that from one moment to another could be destroyed.”

Could Hurricane Polo affect Southern California?

Polo’s effects were expected to remain focused on Mexico, but forecasters said the storm could eventually produce peripheral impacts in Southern California.

The National Weather Service said coastal flooding and erosion were possible later in the weekend or early the following week, although considerable uncertainty remained around the hurricane’s eventual track, strength and duration.

No hazardous marine conditions were expected in Southern California through Sunday.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Odalys was also moving through the Pacific, far from land, while Atlantic storm Fay weakened into a remnant.

No Atlantic hurricanes had formed during the year, marking the longest start to an Atlantic hurricane season without a hurricane. The supplied reports attributed the suppression of Atlantic storms to this year’s El Niño conditions.

For Mexico’s Pacific coast, however, the immediate concern remained Hurricane Polo, a rapidly intensifying Category 5 storm whose strongest impacts could come even without a direct landfall.

FAQs

What category is Hurricane Polo?
Polo reached Category 5, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Could Polo make landfall in Mexico?
Officials said a direct landfall was not expected, but dangerous rain, waves, flooding and mudslides remained possible.