Hurricane Polo made landfall early Tuesday in Mexico’s Baja California state, bringing flash floods and life-threatening winds, according to forecasters. The Category 2 storm struck just south of Las Barrancas with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph), the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
Polo made landfall about 80 miles (130 kilometres) north of Cabo San Lazaro and 70 miles (115 kilometres) south of Mulege, moving northeast at 13 mph (20 kph). On Monday, it had been a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph).
The storm was expected to bring 6 to 12 inches of rainfall across parts of Baja California Sur, raising the risk of heavy flooding. The threat of heavy rainfall was also expected to extend to parts of the US Southwest later in the week.
Forecasters had warned that Polo would hit the Mexican mainland with life-threatening winds and flash floods. Local authorities across the Baja California Peninsula said shelters were ready, travel would be suspended in the affected area and ports across the region would be closed.
The Mexican navy said it had deployed personnel along the northern Pacific coast and positioned three vessels capable of delivering aid to coastal communities cut off by the storm.
In neighbouring Sonora state, the government announced on Monday night the suspension of all nonessential activities, including schools, sports and nonessential work, in the state capital and more than a dozen municipalities.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Rachel was moving parallel to Mexico’s Pacific coast early Tuesday. It was located about 300 miles (485 kilometres) west-southwest of Acapulco and 315 miles (505 kilometres) south of Manzanillo, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph). The storm was moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph).
Pacific storm activity has been above average during the peak of the hurricane season, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec. He said the pattern was consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific typically experiences more tropical storms and hurricanes.
The storm activity was also expected to affect the US Southwest, with Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Texas likely to receive inches of rainfall.
Andrew Mangham, senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, said arid canyons and rocky terrain with little vegetation were particularly vulnerable to flash flooding, with tropical weather further increasing the danger.
“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, Hurricane Nolo remained a major hurricane on Monday night but was moving away from Hawaii. It was located about 425 miles (685 kilometres) west-southwest of Honolulu and 330 miles (535 kilometres) south-southeast of French Frigate Shoals, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph). It was moving north-northwest at 15 mph (24 kph).
Nolo brought heavy rainfall to communities in southern and southeastern parts of Hawaii’s Big Island over the weekend. Hawaii National Guard members rescued 19 people from flooding, the US National Guard said in a Facebook post.
The hurricane centre said Nolo was approaching the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a marine conservation area, where it could bring dangerous conditions from Tuesday.
Polo’s landfall in Mexico, Rachel’s movement along the Pacific coast and Nolo’s impact near Hawaii highlighted an unusually active period of storm activity across the Pacific.
