Tropical Storm Polo weakened over northwestern Mexico on Tuesday after making a second landfall and saturating the Baja California peninsula. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Rachel was gaining strength offshore, posing a threat of severe weather for Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Polo made landfall again near the port city of Guaymas as a Category 1 hurricane after crossing the peninsula the previous day, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. By 2 p.m. MST, Polo’s maximum sustained winds had decreased to 100 km/h, with a rapid weakening expected as it moves further inland.
Despite Polo losing intensity, meteorologists cautioned that its moisture could still lead to heavy rainfall extending beyond Mexico. The National Hurricane Center warned that Polo could bring 10 to 15 centimeters of rain across southern and central Sonora state, with isolated areas experiencing up to 20 centimeters, heightening the risk of dangerous flooding and mudslides.
AccuWeather, a private forecasting service, mentioned that Polo’s remnants might trigger widespread heavy rainfall across the U.S. Southwest and Plains regions.
Before its second landfall, Polo had ravaged Baja California Sur as a Category 2 hurricane, causing flooding, toppling trees, and disrupting infrastructure, prompting authorities to close inundated roads. Governor Víctor Manuel Castro of Baja California Sur confirmed no fatalities had been reported.
While Polo was losing strength, Tropical Storm Rachel was gaining power to the south. The National Hurricane Center reported that Rachel, located about 435 kilometers west-southwest of port Lazaro Cardenas, had intensified to 110 km/h winds and was projected to become a hurricane by Tuesday night and potentially a major hurricane by Thursday, moving along the southwestern coast of Mexico but remaining offshore.
