Hurricane Polo Impacts Mexico; Hurricane Nolo Strengthens Near Hawaii

Mexico’s southwestern communities are preparing for Hurricane Polo, while Hawaii faces its third hurricane threat of the year. Two powerful storms are affecting opposite sides of the Pacific, with Hurricane Polo impacting Mexico’s southwestern coast and Nolo strengthening into a hurricane as it approaches Hawaii. Nolo became a hurricane on Thursday night, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), and is expected to strengthen further as it moves towards Hawaii’s Big Island. Forecasters have warned that the island could receive 15 to 30 inches (38 to 76 cm) of rain, with higher totals possible through Saturday, while the nearby island of Maui may also experience life-threatening flooding. The heaviest rainfall is anticipated in the southeastern part of the Big Island, which was previously affected by Hurricane Lala in August, leaving the ground saturated. John Bravender, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, noted, “There are several communities that were isolated, flooded, roads that were washed out. It’s that same area that is most under threat.” Hawaii has already experienced significant flooding this year, along with an earthquake and two other hurricanes since mid-August. Bravender remarked, “In my 20 years of experience here, I’ve never seen three hurricane watches for the islands in the same year.” In response, Hawaii’s governor has issued an emergency proclamation, activating over 230 members of the state’s National Guard, and schools have been closed for the remainder of the week. Hawaiian Electric, the state’s main power utility, stated that crews restoring electricity on Kauai after Hurricane Lowell earlier this month would move to Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island to prepare for Nolo. Meanwhile, Hurricane Polo has fluctuated between Category 4 and 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with the NHC indicating it is expected to regain Category 5 status on Friday. In the port city of Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, seawater swept through homes on Thursday, leaving debris scattered across the streets. Restaurant owner Alicia Contreras reported that 15-foot (4.5-meter) waves had severely damaged her property, stating, “This is huge because we have no other source of income. Now we’re just surviving.” Mexican authorities have deployed 15,000 security personnel along the coast, suspended schools, and opened shelters, evacuating residents from high-risk areas, although officials have not disclosed the number of evacuees. Polo poses the greatest threat to Guerrero and Michoacan, two neighboring states with coastlines featuring small ports, tourist towns, and fishing villages, many of which are impoverished communities that residents say often receive little assistance during natural disasters. Two other storms remain distant from land: Hurricane Odalys in the Pacific and Tropical Storm Fay in the North Atlantic. Forecasters have indicated that a third storm, Tropical Storm Gonzalo, could approach Cape Verde, an island nation off West Africa, on Friday. This series of storms occurs amid El Nino, a recurring climate pattern that warms parts of the Pacific Ocean and tends to increase tropical cyclone activity while diminishing the Atlantic hurricane season.