Phoenix 24
The storm weakened after landfall, but its risks are not over.
Baja California Sur
Hurricane Polo struck Mexico’s Baja California Sur during the early hours of Tuesday as a Category 2 storm, bringing sustained winds of up to 175 kilometers per hour, heavy rainfall and flooding to coastal communities. The cyclone made landfall south of Las Barrancas, approximately 130 kilometers north of Cabo San Lázaro and 115 kilometers south of Mulegé. Despite the intensity of the impact, Mexican authorities reported no fatalities or major structural damage in the initial assessment.
Around 700 people remained in temporary shelters after precautionary evacuations were carried out ahead of the storm. Flooded streets, fallen trees and localized damage were reported in affected areas, while emergency teams continued evaluating communities exposed to the strongest winds and rainfall. Baja California Sur Governor Víctor Castro said the hurricane had brought substantial rain but no loss of life.
Polo weakened rapidly after moving across the peninsula. By Tuesday morning, its sustained winds had fallen to around 120 kilometers per hour, reducing the system to Category 1 strength as it moved northeast at approximately 28 kilometers per hour. Mexican authorities subsequently lifted several hurricane and tropical storm warnings along sections of the coast, although hydrological risks remained.
Rainfall may prove to be Polo’s most persistent threat. Forecasts indicated accumulations of between 15 and 30 centimeters in parts of Baja California Sur, enough to trigger flash floods and dangerous runoff in normally dry channels. The Mexican Navy deployed personnel along the northern Pacific coast and positioned three vessels capable of transporting assistance to coastal communities that could become isolated.
Attention also shifted toward Sonora as the system crossed the Gulf of California. State authorities suspended nonessential activities, including classes, sporting events and some work operations, across the capital and more than a dozen municipalities. The measures reflected concern that even a weakening tropical system could produce dangerous rainfall and flooding far from its original landfall point.
Polo’s influence may eventually extend beyond Mexico. Moisture associated with the cyclone was expected to increase the risk of heavy rainfall and flash flooding across parts of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. At the same time, Tropical Storm Rachel remained active farther south in the eastern Pacific, reinforcing an unusually intense period of regional tropical activity.
Polo has demonstrated once again that hurricane impact cannot be measured only by the category displayed at landfall. Wind speed may decline quickly, while flooding, infrastructure disruption and downstream rainfall continue long after the center moves away.
Facts that do not bend.