Powerful Hurricane Polo is lashing Mexico’s Pacific coast with torrential rain and high seas, while Tropical Storm Nolo gathers strength south of Hawaii and could become a major hurricane by Friday.
Impact on Mexico’s Pacific shoreline
Polo is currently about 130 miles south‑southwest of Zihuatanejo, moving northwest at roughly 7 mph. The storm’s maximum sustained winds are 160 mph, keeping it in Category 5 strength. Hurricane‑force winds extend 40 miles from the eye, and tropical‑storm‑force winds reach out 115 miles.
Coastal towns in Michoacán and Guerrero are already feeling the effects. Strong waves are crashing onto beaches that are normally pristine, and heavy rain is raising the risk of life‑threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in the rural, mountainous regions where many families live in poverty.
Local business owner Concepción López Villegas, who runs a seaside restaurant in Lázro Cárdenas, Michoacán, said she is scrambling to protect her livelihood. “We’re worried and trying to protect our businesses,” she said. “It’s our heritage, our legacy that could be destroyed in an instant.”
Mexico’s government has ordered evacuations in vulnerable areas and opened shelters. Thousands of military personnel and Red Cross volunteers have been deployed to assist residents and to help mitigate the storm’s impact.
Tropical Storm Nolo’s threat to Hawaii
In the central Pacific, Nolo is located about 295 miles south of South Point on the Big Island. Forecast models suggest the system will intensify into a hurricane by Thursday night and could approach the island as early as Friday. A hurricane watch has already been issued for Hawaii County.
State officials are taking precautionary steps. Governor Josh Green’s office announced that public schools and state and county offices on the Big Island will close Thursday and Friday, while Maui County will shut down schools on Friday. The Hawaii County Mayor, Kimo Alameda, urged residents to assemble emergency kits, trim vegetation, and clear drainage systems.
John Bravender, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, warned that Nolo could dump 20‑30 inches of rain on the southeastern part of the island through Saturday. “That amount of rain could cause catastrophic flooding, especially after the recent rains we’ve had over the past few months,” Bravender said.
The governor has declared a state of emergency, activating more than 230 Hawaii National Guard members. The state’s primary utility, Hawaiian Electric, is preparing crews to respond to possible power outages, while Kauai’s electric cooperative warned residents to stock up on non‑perishable food and water.
Other tropical systems
In addition to Polo and Nolo, the U.S. National Hurricane Center noted that Tropical Storm Fay has re‑formed in the Atlantic, and Hurricane Odalys remains active in the Pacific, though both are far from land and pose no immediate threat to the United States.
Authorities in both Mexico and Hawaii continue to monitor the storms closely, urging residents to follow official guidance and to remain prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.
