Hurricane Polo weakens to Category 4 as it aims for Baja California landfall
Hurricane Polo was downgraded to Category 4 on Saturday as it moved away from Mexico's Pacific coast, with forecasters expecting it to return and hit Baja California Sur on Monday. The storm was about 330 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. AccuWeather predicts it will weaken to Category 2 before landfall, potentially causing life-threatening flash flooding in Baja California and later mainland northwestern Mexico.
Polo was a Category 5 storm before forecasters lowered it to Category 4 on Saturday. At that point it sat roughly 330 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas, producing top sustained winds near 145 mph and tracking northwest at about 9 mph.
Forecasters expect further weakening before the storm reaches Baja California Sur as a Category 2. Its projected landfall lies away from major population centers, though smaller communities such as Las Barrancas remain in the path. A second landfall may follow along mainland northwestern Mexico, with flooding risks extending into Sinaloa, Sonora and Chihuahua.
Coastal residents, travelers, fishing and port workers, and school communities in Baja California Sur and northwestern Mexico could face disruption from evacuations, closed ports, canceled classes, flooding, mudslides, dangerous surf and rip currents. Small towns near landfall may be especially isolated if roads are damaged, while resort areas could see tourist activity and beach access curtailed. Authorities may need to sustain emergency warnings and sheltering through the storm’s second landfall.