MND Local BCS: Hurricane Polo hits Baja California Sur, plus new regulations for swimming with whale sharks in La Paz
As Baja California Sur assesses the damage from Hurricane Polo, new regulations are going into effect for swimming with whales sharks tours in La Paz — the season for which starts this week. The post MND Local BCS: Hurricane Polo hits Baja California Sur, plus new regulations for swimming with whale sharks in La Paz appeared first on Mexico News Daily
On Monday, September 21, Hurricane Polo emerged as a tropical storm off Mexico's southwestern coast, with winds around 50 mph. Within 24 hours, winds skyrocketed to 160 mph, transforming the storm into a Category 5 hurricane. The National Hurricane Center described the speed of Polo's intensification as "truly remarkable," noting it was one of the most rapid storm intensifications in recorded history, second only to Hurricane Patricia in 2015.
By Tuesday afternoon, Hurricane Polo had reached sustained winds of 180 mph, making it the third-strongest hurricane in Eastern Pacific history. This rapid intensification was aided by climate change, with the highest sea surface temperatures ever recorded in the Pacific Ocean, and an exceptionally strong El Niño weather pattern. Despite its immense power, Polo remained offshore, causing at least four deaths in Jalisco and property damage in Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco, and Michoacán.
Baja California Sur started preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Polo on Sunday. By Sunday, the hurricane had weakened to Category 3 with wind speeds of "only" 125 mph as it moved towards Comondú municipality. Hurricane warnings were issued for both the west and east coasts of the state, and schools were closed statewide. Military personnel were on standby for potential impacts, and 26 beaches in Los Cabos closed.
Puerto San Carlos in the Bahía Magdalena area was most visibly affected, with storm-driven waves causing streets to flood and hundreds of residents evacuating their homes. Finally, Hurricane Polo made landfall near Las Barrancas, a small fishing community with 500 residents, at 11 p.m. local time on Monday, downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph wind speeds.
Six hours later, on Tuesday morning, the hurricane reached the Gulf of California, still downgraded to Category 1. Power outages, wind damage, and flash flooding were reported, but no deaths in Baja California Sur were confirmed.
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