Hurricane Nolo moved further away from the Hawaiian Islands on Sunday, but a high-wind warning, wind advisory, and high surf advisory remained in effect for parts of the island through Sunday evening. Nolo's maximum sustained winds increased to near 105 mph, posing a threat to the region. The storm was well southwest of Hawaii and moving away from the Big Island as the weekend drew to a close.
Meanwhile, residents of Mexico's Baja California peninsula are bracing for the expected arrival of Category 3 Hurricane Polo on Monday. The storm had top sustained winds of 125 mph on Sunday evening and was moving north at 12 mph, about 270 miles west of Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula's southern tip. Heavy rainfall from Polo was expected to begin impacting the peninsula overnight, posing a threat of life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
Forecasters warned that Polo would hit the Mexican mainland after crossing Baja California and could bring heavy rain and flooding to parts of the U.S. Southwest later in the week. The storm's outer bands could also cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides in Hawaii, with parts of the Big Island possibly getting up to 20 inches of rain. Heavy rain was also expected on the other islands.
In preparation for the storm, the Mexican navy gathered personnel and humanitarian aid in the ports of Guaymas and Mazatlan, on the country's Pacific Coast, and deployed three vessels that could ship aid to coastal communities isolated by the storm. One of the towns in the hurricane's projected path is San Juanico, a small fishing community on Baja's Pacific coast, which has limited infrastructure and is prone to power outages.
Hawaii residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which produced heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island. The storm caused significant damage, including the destruction of a local bakery, a fire station, and a hardware store. More than 120 National Guard members were activated, part of roughly 400 statewide, after the governor issued an emergency proclamation.
President Donald Trump recently approved an emergency declaration, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance and provide funding support. The Pacific has been unusually active, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec, with storm activity running above average during what is already the peak of hurricane season. This pattern is consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific often sees more tropical storms and hurricanes.
In San Juanico, locals are concerned about the potential impact of Hurricane Polo, with Gloriely Robles Meza, a manager at a small hotel, stating that the town hasn't faced such a worrying situation in many years. Army soldiers arrived in San Juanico to prepare a shelter and provide support for possible emergencies. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Rachel formed well off Mexico's southwest coast, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and located about 300 miles south of Acapulco.
Key points
- Hurricane Polo is expected to bring heavy rain and flooding to parts of the U.S. Southwest later in the week.
- Hawaii residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which caused significant damage on the Big Island.
- The Pacific has been unusually active, with storm activity running above average during what is already the peak of hurricane season.
