Hurricane Polo Hits Mexico, Raises Flash-Flood Threat Across U.S. Southwest

Hurricane Polo made landfall in Mexico, according to the BBC, after whipping the northern Pacific coast with strong winds and flooding some streets, according to AP. The storm threatened Baja California Sur and neighboring Sonora with life-threatening winds and flash flooding before its moisture was expected to move toward the southwestern United States.

CBS News reported that Polo was a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph late Monday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center had forecast that the storm would weaken as it tracked inland toward mainland Mexico but remain a hurricane as it reached mainland Mexico. Hurricane warnings covered parts of Baja California Sur and the Sonora coast, with additional hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings in effect nearby.

Forecasters said Polo’s moisture would create a significant flash-flood threat from the Four Corners region into the Central Plains. Flood watches covered portions of 11 states, including most of Arizona and New Mexico and parts of Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Texas. More than 14 million people faced a risk of major flooding, CBS reported.

Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches were possible from Arizona to Texas and as far north as Iowa, with higher localized amounts. Phoenix, Albuquerque, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Omaha were among the cities that could experience flash flooding over the following three days.