Hurricane Polo has made landfall in Baja California Sur. The hurricane is bringing dangerous conditions to the Baja California Sur area, with residents advised to remain indoors or find safe shelter for the morning, the NHC Pacific said in a post on X. The hurricane and tropical storm weather is likely to move towards mainland Mexico during the morning.
Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Polo is likely to impact Baja California Sur as well as the southern and central portions of Sonora on Tuesday, raising fears of flooding and mudslides, particularly in areas of steep terrain. Moisture from Polo is likely to result in heavy rainfall and flooding across the Southwest US and into the Southern High Plains from Tuesday into early Wednesday.
Even after Polo dissipates, its mid-level remnants could result in strong gusty winds well inland over the higher terrain of northwest Mexico, northern New Mexico, and far western Texas.
Dangerous surf and rip currents are likely along portions of the northwest coast of Mexico and Baja California for the next day or so.
Mexico braces for Hurricane Polo
The government of the northern Mexican state of Sonora on Monday night stated it would suspend all “nonessential” activities, including school, sports and non-essential work in the state capital and more than a dozen municipalities, news agency AP reported
The Mexican navy said it had personnel ready across the northern Pacific coast and deployed three vessels that could provide aid to coastal communities isolated by Polo.
Local authorities along the Baja California Peninsula said they had shelters in place, while travel was suspended in the area and ports across the region were to be closed.
Pacific storm activity greater than normal this season
Pacific storm activity has been greater than usually expected during what is already the peak of hurricane season, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec. He said that pattern is steady with El Nino years, when the Pacific often sees more tropical storms and hurricanes.
The impact was predicted to stretch into the US Southwest, with Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Texas receiving inches of rain. Arid canyons and rocky expanses with little vegetation are conducive to flash flooding, and the tropical weather adds more risk, said Andrew Mangham, senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“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.”
9/29 2am MST Key Messages from Hurricane #Polo, currently centered over Baja California Sur. See https://t.co/NyUGSIFCuo for more information. pic.twitter.com/o7hPGdH7kj
— NHC Pacific (@NHC_Pacific) September 29, 2026
(With inputs from AP)
