Hurricane Polo Slams Into Baja California, Threatens US Southwest

Hurricane Polo struck Mexico's Baja California peninsula early Tuesday, making landfall just south of Las Barrancas with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center reported. The Category 2 storm was moving northeast at 13 mph (20 kph) and was expected to dump 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain across parts of Baja California Sur, raising the risk of flash flooding.

The hurricane had weakened from a Category 3 storm on Monday, when its top sustained winds reached 115 mph (185 kph). Forecasters warned that Polo could still deliver life-threatening winds and flash floods as it pushed toward the Mexican mainland, with heavy rain and flooding potentially spreading into parts of the U.S. Southwest later in the week.

Ahead of the storm, the government of Sonora state announced late Monday that it would suspend all nonessential activities, including school, sports, and non-essential work, in the state capital and more than a dozen municipalities. The Mexican navy said it had personnel positioned along the northern Pacific coast and deployed three vessels capable of delivering aid to coastal communities cut off by the storm. Local authorities along the Baja California Peninsula said shelters were ready, travel would be suspended, and ports across the region would close.

In the United States, the National Weather Service warned that Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas could receive several inches of rain. Andrew Mangham, senior service hydrologist for the weather service in Albuquerque, New Mexico, noted that arid canyons and rocky terrain with sparse vegetation are particularly prone to flash flooding. "We're getting caught up here in a very, very short time," Mangham said. "And that's not really what we want. We want nice rains, you know, all summer long."

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Rachel was moving parallel to Mexico's coast early Tuesday, located about 300 miles (485 kilometers) west-southwest of Acapulco and 315 miles (505 kilometers) south of Manzanillo, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph). It was heading west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph).

In the Pacific, Hurricane Nolo remained a major hurricane on Monday night but was gradually pulling away from Hawaii. The storm was about 425 miles (685 kilometers) west-southwest of Honolulu and 330 miles (535 kilometers) south-southeast of French Frigate Shoals, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) and moving north-northwest at 15 mph (24 kph). Over the weekend, Nolo drenched parts of Hawaii's Big Island, prompting Hawaii National Guard members to rescue 19 people from flooding. The hurricane was approaching the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a marine conservation area, where dangerous conditions were expected to begin Tuesday.

Pacific storm activity has been above average during the peak of hurricane season, a pattern that National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec said is consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific typically sees more tropical storms and hurricanes.