MEXICO CITY: Hurricane Polo has rapidly intensified into one of the most powerful storms in the eastern Pacific, reaching Category 5 strength within just 24 hours.
Polo was still a tropical storm on Monday morning, with winds of around 50 mph.
By Tuesday, its winds had surged to 160 mph. The 110-mph increase marked one of the fastest periods of hurricane intensification ever recorded in the eastern Pacific.
The storm later reached peak winds of around 180 mph.
A Hurricane Hunter aircraft also recorded a central pressure of about 892 millibars. The exceptionally low pressure placed Polo among the most intense hurricanes ever recorded in the basin.
Polo Strengthens Over Warm Pacific Waters
Meteorologists said Polo encountered highly favourable conditions over the Pacific.
The National Hurricane Center said the hurricane moved across ocean waters with temperatures above 30.5°C. The storm also faced weak wind shear and a moist surrounding atmosphere.
Warm ocean water provides energy for tropical cyclones. Weak wind shear allows storms to maintain their structure and organise their circulation.
These conditions helped Polo rapidly strengthen around its compact core.
The storm’s intensification approached the rapid strengthening seen with Hurricane Patricia in 2015. Patricia remains the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere based on maximum sustained winds.
Mexico Faces Heavy Rainfall
Mexico has already begun feeling Polo’s effects, although the hurricane may not make landfall.
The National Hurricane Center forecast 3 to 6 inches of rain across coastal Guerrero and Michoacán through Thursday.
Some isolated areas could receive up to 8 inches of rainfall.
Polo has fluctuated in strength since reaching its peak. However, it remains a major hurricane over the Pacific off Mexico’s coast.
Authorities continue to monitor the storm as heavy rainfall and dangerous conditions affect parts of western Mexico.
