Key facts
- Hurricane Polo intensified to Category 5 strength with 165 mph winds off Mexico's Pacific coast.
- The storm's center was about 215 miles south of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero state, on Tuesday.
- Life-threatening flooding and mudslides are possible inland, despite forecasts suggesting Mexico may avoid a direct hit.
- The rapid intensification is attributed to strong El Niño weather patterns.
- Polo is the 18th named storm and seventh hurricane of the 2026 Pacific season.
Hurricane Polo intensified to Category 5 strength, the highest possible, with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (266 km/h) off Mexico's Pacific coast, fueled by stronger-than-usual El Niño weather patterns. The storm's center was churning about 215 miles (346 km) south of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero state, on Tuesday, a rapid intensification from a tropical storm with winds below 74 mph (120 km/h) just the day before. This growth is attributed to the record-breaking El Niño phenomenon, which amplifies extreme weather events globally. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami warned of potential life-threatening flooding and mudslides inland, along with dangerous surf and rip currents, though they indicated Mexico was likely to avoid a direct hit. El Niño typically increases storm activity in the Pacific while curtailing it in the Atlantic. Polo is the 18th named storm and seventh hurricane of the 2026 Pacific season, which runs from May 15 to November 30, while the Atlantic basin has seen no hurricanes so far this season.