Hurricane Polo Reaches Category 5 off Mexico's Western Coast

Hurricane Polo intensified into a Category 5 super hurricane, moving off the western coast of Mexico with maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h.

Key points

• The storm's center was located 355 kilometers south of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, moving eastward at 9 km/h.
• A tropical storm watch is in effect from Tecpan de Galeana, Guerrero, to Manzanillo, Colima.
• Satellite imagery shows a well-defined eye surrounded by heavy cloud bands affecting the southern and western regions of the country with rain and high waves.

Why it matters

The rapid intensification of Hurricane Polo into a maximum-category storm poses a severe threat of high winds, heavy rainfall, and dangerous surf along Mexico's western coastline.