Hurricane Polo regains powerful Category 5 status; Pacific sees multiple storms
Mexico closes Pacific ports as Hurricane Polo tracks offshore as a Category 5 storm once again. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Nolo has arrived in the eastern Pacific, expected to become a major hurricane by the weekend as it passes near Hawaii
Hurricane Polo, now the second-most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Pacific Ocean, is back to a powerful Category 5 storm. It is expected to be near the coast of southwestern Mexico through Thursday morning before it moves farther out to sea.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), the storm remains about 235 kilometres south-southwest of the tourist town of Zihuatanejo, and 425 km south-southeast of Manzanillo.
Polo regained its Category 5 status on Wednesday evening. Satellite intensity estimates indicated that Polo has quickly strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane with estimated and maximum, sustained winds of 260 km/h.
Hurricane Polo is forecast to bring 100-150 mm of rain, with isolated areas possibly reaching 200 mm, along coastal regions of Guerrero through Thursday. These rainfall amounts may lead to life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly in steep terrain.
Rainfall totals of 50-100 mm are also expected across coastal areas of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco during the same period. Residents in affected areas should stay updated on weather alerts and take necessary precautions.
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Polo was the second-fastest on record for rapid intensification, rising by 177 km/h in 24 hours. It is only second to Patricia, which saw a 185-km/h increase in 24 hours.
And now comes Tropical Storm Nolo, which is expected to become a hurricane soon and take a path towards Hawaii's Big Island for this weekend. It won't make landfall, but it will come close enough to bring torrential rainfall, flooding and strong winds.
A hurricane watch a already been issued for Hawaii’s Big Island, ahead of what is expected to be major hurricane impacts this weekend.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Odalys, which strengthened from a tropical storm on Wednesday, remains far from land and poses no immediate threat. The system is located 1,950 km west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja, California.
Forecasters expect Odalys to move eastward to east-northeastward motion for the next couple of days, followed by a gradual turn toward the northeast then north later this week.
No hurricanes reported in the Atlantic by Sept. 21, a first since 1914
Meanwhile, with just more than two months remaining in the Atlantic hurricane season, which ends on Nov. 30, no hurricanes have been recorded so far. This unprecedented delay has already set a record for the latest start to the season, should a hurricane eventually form.
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Multiple factors may be contributing to the lack of hurricane development. One key influence is the ongoing “super” El Niño. El Niño patterns are known to increase wind shear across the Atlantic basin, hindering hurricane formation by disrupting the structure of developing storms.
Since 1851, only two years—1907 and 1914—have passed without any hurricanes forming in the Atlantic basin.
With the climatological peak of hurricane season now behind us, the continued lack of activity raises the possibility that 2026 could become the first hurricane-free Atlantic season in the satellite era if no hurricanes develop in the coming weeks.
Thumbnail courtesy of NOAA.