Hurricane Polo reaches highest category near Mexico
The storm stayed offshore but brought risks of heavy rain, flooding and landslides.
Hurricane Polo has strengthened into a Category 5 storm off Mexico’s south-west coast. According to the US National Hurricane Center, Polo remained offshore, but parts of the coast were under warnings for heavy rain and dangerous seas.
In the latest public warning from the National Hurricane Center checked for this edition, Polo had reached wind speeds of around 180 miles per hour, equivalent to approximately 285 kilometres per hour. The centre of the storm was then hundreds of kilometres south of Zihuatanejo and was barely moving.
The National Hurricane Center expected Polo to remain an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane for some time. A stretch of coastline in Guerrero was under a warning for tropical-storm-force winds. The warnings concerned possible effects on land, not a predicted direct landfall by the hurricane’s eye.
The state governments of Guerrero and Oaxaca said they were closely monitoring the storm’s development. In Oaxaca, the regional authorities said no direct landfall was expected. Rain, high waves and localised flooding could nevertheless cause problems.
The storm had previously intensified sharply in a short period. The National Hurricane Center wrote that Polo had strengthened by approximately 90 knots in 24 hours. Such rapid changes make forecasts uncertain and can shorten the time available for warnings and evacuations.
A hurricane’s category mainly indicates its maximum sustained wind speed. It does not predict how much damage a storm will cause: the size of the wind field, the amount of rain, the duration of the passage and the vulnerability of the affected region are also decisive.
For now, the combination of wind, rain and dangerous seas is therefore the main concern. The latest forecasts used for this article did not confirm a direct landfall on the Mexican coast. New warnings may still alter the expected track and intensity.
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The intensity, position and warnings were checked against the National Hurricane Center and Mexican authorities. The text cautiously describes the expected consequences and makes clear that forecasts can change.
- confirmed Polo reached Category 5. — This is stated in the NHC warning and in the statement from the state of Guerrero. source
- confirmed The maximum sustained wind speed was approximately 180 miles per hour. — The NHC warning cites 180 mph and 285 km/h. source
- confirmed Polo was hundreds of kilometres south of Zihuatanejo. — The position is given in the summary of the NHC warning. source
- confirmed Polo was almost stationary at the time of the warning. — The NHC states ‘present movement: stationary’. source
- confirmed Polo had strengthened by approximately 90 knots in 24 hours. — This is stated in the NHC analysis. source
- confirmed There was no confirmation of a direct landfall in the checked forecast. — The NHC warning described warnings for coastal areas but no direct landfall by the eye. source
Editor's note
The meteorological data are time-sensitive. This article uses the latest checked public NHC warning from 22 September and does not describe any later developments if they were not included in the sources.Sources
- Hurricane Polo Advisory Number 9 — National Hurricane Center
- Hurricane Polo Tropical Cyclone Update — National Hurricane Center
- Huracán Polo alcanza categoría 5 — Regering van Guerrero
- Hurricane Polo brings heavy rainfall across Mexico — UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „orkaan polo”
- De Telegraaf — „orkaan polo”
- Trouw — „orkaan polo”