Hurricane Polo Weakens After Mexico Landfall, Brings Swells to California Coast
Forecasters warn of potential flash flooding across the Southwest as the storm's remnants move inland, while Southern California beaches experience dangerous rip currents.
Hurricane Polo made landfall on the Pacific coast of Mexico as a Category 2 storm, bringing strong winds and heavy rain before weakening over land. The storm's remnants are now expected to bring significant rainfall to the Southwestern and Central United States, with forecasters warning of potentially life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.
The National Hurricane Center reported that Polo made landfall late Monday night along the west coast of Baja California Sur, packing maximum sustained winds of 105 to 110 mph. By early Tuesday, the storm had weakened but continued to produce hurricane-force winds.
In its wake, Polo left flooded streets and damaged properties in Mexico. Forecasters now project that the storm could bring as much as "34 trillion gallons of rainfall" to the Southwest and Central U.S. The National Weather Service issued a bulletin for parts of West Texas and New Mexico, warning of flash flooding through early Wednesday. Some areas in New Mexico are already experiencing flooding as the Rio Grande swells.
The threat is expected to shift eastward, with possible flash flooding anticipated from Central Texas to Central Oklahoma through Thursday. Meteorologists predict that several inches of rain are possible, with 5–6+ inches potentially falling across parts of Texas, raising concerns about rapid and dangerous flooding.
Meanwhile, Southern California is experiencing dangerous ocean conditions due to swells generated by Hurricane Polo. While the National Weather Service has lifted earlier warnings for high surf and coastal flooding, dangerous rip currents are expected to persist. High tides are still predicted to be above 7.0 feet.
Adding to the coastal concerns, Tropical Storm Rachel is nearing hurricane strength and is forecast to produce larger swells along the Southern California coast early to mid-next week. Rachel is expected to bring life-threatening surf and rip current conditions to portions of the southwestern coast of Mexico in the coming days.