Hurricane Nolo Strengthens in Pacific Days After Polo Hits West Coast
Nolo, a Category 3 storm, is moving west across the Pacific, while Hurricane Rachel continues its westward track away from Mexico.
Hurricane Nolo has strengthened into a Category 3 storm in the Pacific Ocean, days after Hurricane Polo caused significant disruption along Mexico's coast and in Southern California. The National Hurricane Center reported on Sunday morning that Nolo is expected to intensify over the next 24 to 36 hours, potentially reaching Category 4 strength with sustained winds up to 132 mph around October 5-6.
Nolo is currently tracking westward across the Pacific and is expected to cross the International Date Line into the Western Pacific within the next 12 hours, remaining distant from the main Hawaiian Islands. The storm's projected weakening trend begins around the middle of the week, with forecasts indicating a drop to tropical storm strength by October 7-9.
Large swells generated by Hurricane Nolo are expected to continue impacting the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument over the coming days. The surf may inundate low-lying atolls, including Maro Reef and Lisianski Island. The hurricane passed the Hawaiian Islands on Saturday, prompting officials to lift hurricane watches but warn of potential flash flooding, high winds, and hazardous surf in areas still recovering from previous weather events.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Rachel was situated off Mexico's western coast on Friday and is forecast to move westward, away from land, maintaining hurricane strength into early next week. In related news, heavy surf from Hurricane Polo previously led to coastal flood advisories across much of Southern California.
