Hurricane Polo lashes Mexico's Baja California Sur, carries on toward mainland
SPY•Hurricane Polo made landfall in Baja California Sur as a Category 2 storm, with gusts up to 200 km/h (125 mph) and waves 7 to 9 meters high. It was expected to bring 6 to 12 inches of rain and remain a hurricane for a second landfall on mainland Mexico.
1. Storm makes landfall
Polo struck the southern half of Mexico's Baja California peninsula early Tuesday, south of Las Barrancas. Authorities expected life-threatening hurricane conditions to continue across Baja California Sur for several hours, with conditions expected to deteriorate in southern Sonora.
2. Winds and rainfall
Mexico's National Weather Service reported sustained winds of 150 to 170 km/h and gusts of 180 to 200 km/h, with waves 7 to 9 meters high. The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecast 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) of rain across Baja California Sur, with a risk of life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
3. Mainland crossing expected
Polo was expected to cross the Gulf of California and make a second landfall on mainland Mexico while still a hurricane. Mexican authorities and the NHC urged residents to stay indoors through the morning, at home or in temporary shelters.
