MEXICO CITY — Powerful Hurricane Polo sent bands of heavy rain across Mexico's Pacific coast Thursday as a growing Tropical Storm Nolo approached Hawaii with the potential for catastrophic flooding.
Polo has oscillated between Category 4 and 5 strength — both major-hurricane strength— and on Thursday morning dipped back to Category 4. It was slated to skirt Mexico's coast over the next few days. Rain and strong winds had already started to pummel the coast, with waves crashing onto the normally pristine beaches.
While the eye and the strongest winds were expected to remain at sea, the heavy rains could cause life-threatening flooding and landslides, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Farther west in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Nolo was churning about 285 miles (460 kilometers) south of South Point, Hawaii. It was forecast to become a hurricane by Thursday night and was expected to approach the Big Island as early as Friday. A hurricane watch was issued for Hawaii County, which covers the entire island.
Gov. Josh Green’s office said public schools and state and county offices on the Big Island will close Thursday and Friday, while Maui County will shutter them on Friday ahead of the threat of heavy rain, winds and flooding. Forecasters said the storm could drop up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain on Maui and up to 35 inches (89 centimeters) on the Big Island.
The series of hurricanes come as the weather phenomenon El Nino prompts major environmental shifts across the world, fueling drought in some areas and flooding in others. As El Nino traditionally dampens the Atlantic hurricane season, it tends to rev up tropical cyclone activity in the Pacific, with moist air and little wind shear.
Polo could bring flooding and mudslides to Mexico’s Pacific coast
Mexican authorities were busy preparing shelters and clearing people from beaches, while coastal residents stacked sandbags in front of their businesses in fear that they might get swept away.
Much of the fear from locals came from hurricanes in past years that devastated cities along the Pacific coast, namely Hurricane Otis in 2023 which unexpectedly plunged Acapulco into turmoil for weeks.
“People here are scared because we already went through this with Otis. So many people said it wouldn’t happen and then it did. After that, you’re left on edge,” said Acapulco bartender Gonzalo Ramírez.
Guerrero state was particularly at risk of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, the hurricane center said.
Polo was swirling about 195 miles (315 kilometers) west-southwest of Zihuatanejo early Thursday and was moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph). A turn west-northwest was forecast for later in the day, taking it further out to sea, before turning northwest Saturday.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 kph), and was expected to remain a major hurricane for the next few days. Hurricane-force winds extended up to 40 miles (65 kilometers) from the eye and tropical-storm-force winds extended up to 125 miles (205 kilometers).
In recent days, there had been speculation about whether Polo would touch ground. On Thursday morning, projections from the U.S. National Hurricane Center show Polo could potentially arc back east as a weakened storm and hit Baja California on Tuesday.
The region most under threat from Polo is further south, along the coast of Michoacan and Guerrero, which is rural and mountainous, scattered with a few small tourist towns and ports. Much of the area is marked by poverty and residents routinely complain authorities abandon them to fend for themselves during natural disasters.
Mexico’s government has called for evacuations in some areas and set up shelters for those affected. Thousands of military and Red Cross personnel have been deployed to the region as a preventive measure.
Another hurricane could hit Hawaii as soon as Friday
The National Weather Service said Tropical Storm Nolo would likely strengthen before closing in on the Big Island on Friday or Saturday.
The storm has the potential to be a major hurricane, John Bravender, a weather service warning coordination meteorologist, said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
While high winds are expected, Bravender said the main concern is the possibility of flash flooding. He said 20 to 30 inches (50 to 76 centimeters) of rain could fall through Saturday on southeastern parts of the Big Island, the same region hit hard in August by Hurricane Lala.
“That by itself could cause catastrophic flooding, but when you put that on top of grounds that we’ve been raining off and on for the last couple of months … that rain could cause even more damage,” Bravender said.
He urged preparation across all Hawaii islands in case the storm’s trajectory shifts.
“You need to take action now,” Bravender said. “Today is really the last dry day you have to get ready.”
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda told residents in a video message on social media that they should start preparing now for the storm. He urged people to put together an emergency kit with food, water and medications, trim vegetation and clear drains.
“This is a very serious situation,” he said. “We do believe that the rain is going to come. It's coming already.”
The governor issued an emergency proclamation Tuesday and more than 230 Hawaii National Guard members have been activated, said Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, adjutant general of the state’s Department of Defense.
Kauai’s electric cooperative urged residents to prepare for “the possibility of prolonged power outages,” and to store nonperishable food and potable water.
Over 100 Kauai households remain without power from Hurricane Lowell, which passed west of the island on Sept. 7.
Hawaiian Electric, the state’s primary utility, said crews would return to at-risk areas in preparation for the coming storm.
Odalys and Fay are not near land
In the northern Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Fay re-formed early Thursday with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph (85 kph), the U.S. hurricane center said. It was 990 miles (1,590 kilometers) west-southwest of the Azores, moving west-southwest at 6 mph (9 kph).
In the Pacific, Hurricane Odalys had winds of 90 mph (150 kph) and was centered about 1,110 miles (1,785 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.
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Aoun reported from San Diego. Associated Press writer Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.
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