Remnants of Hurricane Polo Bring Heavy Rains, Flooding to US Southwest

The remnants of Hurricane Polo continued to unleash heavy rains and dangerous flooding across the U.S. Southwest on Tuesday evening, prompting evacuations in New Mexico towns due to concerns over a potential dam failure and leading to multiple water rescues in Arizona.

Polo, which had made landfall earlier in the day in Mexico’s Baja California Sur state with sustained winds of 110 mph, weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland. However, its aftermath brought significant rainfall and saturated grounds to the southwestern United States.

New Mexico Faces Evacuations and Flood Threats

In New Mexico, the Department of Transportation reported flooded roads and debris across the state. The potential failure of a dam in south-central New Mexico triggered mandatory evacuations for hundreds of residents in the small communities of Rincon, Salem, and Garfield, who were advised to seek higher ground. Evacuations were later extended to nearby Hatch and farther north to Placitas.

Wide swaths of the region remained under flood watches, with the National Weather Service warning of potential urban flooding and advising residents to avoid driving through flooded roadways and stay out of arroyos. Weather service meteorologist Carter Greulich in Albuquerque noted that saturated ground would cause runoff to occur more quickly, exacerbating flooding risks.

Arizona and Utah Experience Rescues and Damage

Arizona experienced several water rescues, including one near Phoenix where a person stranded on top of a vehicle submerged in floodwaters was airlifted to safety. In Zion National Park, Utah, a helicopter rescued three individuals from Heaps Canyon following flash flooding. Authorities in Maricopa County, Arizona, reported a truck swept away in a wash, though the driver escaped unharmed.

The desert landscape, with minimal vegetation and low annual rainfall, is particularly susceptible to flash flooding. The Bureau of Land Management in Arizona reported significant flooding and damage to access roads in conservation and recreation areas in the southeastern part of the state. In Utah, the East Fork of the Virgin River near Zion surged with muddy floodwaters, carrying debris, including a shipping container. In Orderville, Utah, residents described floodwaters inundating their homes, leading to the loss of personal property. Digging trenches around homes was a desperate measure taken by some to slow the water's advance.

Coastal Areas and Mexico Experience Impacts

While the storm’s intensity had diminished over land, its oceanic influence was still felt. Large waves generated by the hurricane impacted coastal areas in California, with authorities implementing safety precautions along beaches. In Mexico, after Hurricane Polo made landfall, residents of Puerto San Carlos in Baja California Sur faced flooded homes and downed trees. Despite the damage, residents expressed relief that their communities largely remained intact.

The storm system’s activity is consistent with El Niño years, which historically see above-average Pacific storm activity. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Rachel was moving parallel to Mexico’s coast and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane, and Hurricane Nolo continued to pose a threat to parts of the central Pacific.