From tropical storm to hurricane in less than a day: What is approaching Mexico's coasts?

Hurricane Polo has intensified at an unusual rate off the coast of Mexico, reaching Category 5 in less than a day. Winds have reached approximately 266 km/h. The storm's center is expected to remain at sea, but authorities warn of heavy rains, flooding, and mudslides. The rapid intensification is attributed to a powerful El Niño warming the Pacific Ocean waters.

Hurricane "Polo" has intensified at an extraordinary rate off the coast of Mexico, reaching Category 5—the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Less than a day earlier, it was still classified as a tropical storm. According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the hurricane's maximum winds reached approximately 266 km/h. The hurricane's center is located about 346 km south of the coastal city of Zihuatanejo in Guerrero state. Forecasts indicate that the storm's center is expected to remain over the ocean and not directly hit Mexico's coasts, but its proximity to land is likely to bring dangerous weather conditions to large areas in the country's southwest. The rapid intensification occurs against a backdrop of particularly warm waters providing energy to the storm and atmospheric conditions that do not hinder its development. This year, conditions in the Pacific are unusual due to a strong El Niño phenomenon. Forecasts warn of heavy rains in the states of Guerrero and Michoacán, which could cause flooding and mudslides. "Polo" is part of an especially active hurricane season in the Pacific Ocean, the seventh of the current year. In contrast, not a single hurricane has formed in the Atlantic Ocean this year—a situation not recorded at such a late stage of the season in over a century.