Hurricane Polo Bears Down on Baja California as Nolo Drenches Hawaii

Hurricane Polo churned toward Mexico's Baja California peninsula on Monday, carrying the risk of storm surge, strong winds and heavy rainfall, even as Hurricane Nolo continued to drench parts of Hawaii.

Polo was a Category 3 storm with top sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph) on Sunday evening, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. Forecasters warned the peninsula could face life-threatening flooding and mudslides as the storm lashed the region overnight.

In Puerto San Carlos, a fishing town of about 5,700 people, residents boarded up their homes on Sunday while workers hauled dirt and rubble to reinforce embankments shielding the community. Authorities estimated that 90 percent of the town was vulnerable to flooding.

Families worried that high tides and pounding surf could breach the barriers and send seawater surging through the streets. Some planned to evacuate to shelters in Ciudad Constitucion, roughly 37 miles (60 kilometers) away.

"Civil Protection told those of us here in San Carlos to evacuate because this is a high-risk area," said Rocío Sánchez, a fisherman. "With the current tides, the expected waves and the wind, the earthen barriers they built could give way. They said they wouldn't hold."

Polo was moving north at 12 mph (19 kph), positioned about 270 miles (435 kilometers) west of Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula's southern tip. Forecasters said the storm would cross Baja California and then hit the Mexican mainland, potentially bringing heavy rain and flooding to parts of the U.S. Southwest later in the week.

Further north, San Juanico, a small fishing community on Baja's Pacific coast, was also in the projected path. The town has had full-time electricity for only a few years and still suffers frequent outages. Residents feared washed-out roads could cut off access to medical facilities.

"Our people are concerned about this event," said Gloriely Robles Meza, a manager at a small hotel. "We haven't faced such a worrying situation in many years." Robles Meza said army soldiers had arrived in San Juanico to set up a shelter and provide support for possible emergencies.

The Mexican navy said it had gathered personnel and humanitarian aid at the Pacific ports of Guaymas and Mazatlan, and deployed three vessels capable of shipping supplies to coastal communities isolated by the storm.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo remained well southwest of Hawaii and was moving away from the Big Island as the weekend ended. A high-wind warning, wind advisory and high surf advisory remained in effect for parts of the island through Sunday evening. Nolo's maximum sustained winds increased to near 105 mph (165 kph).

Forecasters said Nolo's outer bands could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with parts of the Big Island possibly receiving up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain. Heavy rain was also expected on the other islands.

More than 120 National Guard members were activated, part of roughly 400 statewide after the governor issued an emergency proclamation. President Donald Trump recently approved an emergency declaration, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance and provide funding support.

Hawaii residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which produced heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.

The Pacific has been unusually active, with storm activity running above average during what is already the peak of hurricane season, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec. He said the pattern is consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific often sees more tropical storms and hurricanes.

Also on Sunday, Tropical Storm Rachel formed well off Mexico's southwest coast. The hurricane center said Rachel had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was located about 300 miles (485 kilometers) south of Acapulco. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.