Southern California braces for Hurricane Polo, now a Category 5
A potential nor'easter is threatening the Atlantic shoreline with possible strong winds, along with heavy rains and coastal flooding. At the same time, a Category 5 hurricane is brewing just off the coast of Mexico, and Southern California is on alert for impacts later this week. Carter Evans reports from Malibu and Rob Marciano has the forecast.
A powerful Category 5 hurricane, named Polo, has rapidly intensified off Mexico's Pacific coast, threatening the region with heavy rain, strong winds, and dangerous surf. The storm reached maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (285 km/h) and a record-low central pressure of 892 millibars, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters predict the hurricane will travel along the western Mexican coast but remain offshore, potentially causing flooding and landslides that could result in fatalities. Polo made a sharp turn to the west-northwest or northwest by late Tuesday, moving away from its earlier eastward path.
The storm's explosive intensification can be attributed to a combination of warm ocean water, light wind shear, and abundant moisture, which allowed its circulation to become more organized. While El Niño, a climate pattern currently strengthening in the eastern equatorial Pacific, may have played a role, it is not the sole factor responsible for Polo's rapid intensification.
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- Hurricane Polo Intensifies Off Mexico’s Coast time.com
- Hurricane Polo intensifies into rare category 5 storm off the coast of Mexico bbc.co.uk
- Hurricane Polo rapidly intensifies, threatens Mexico’s Pacific coast: Is El Niño responsible? gulfnews.com
- Hurricane Polo is ‘one of the strongest storms ever’ and is churning off Mexico’s Pacific coast winnipegfreepress.com
