Hurricane Polo grows into Category 5 storm off Mexico, could produce life-threatening flooding

Updated on: September 22, 2026 / 9:02 AM EDT / CBS News

Hurricane Polo rapidly intensified off the coast of southwestern Mexico on Tuesday, growing into a powerful Category 5 storm that could bring life-threatening flooding to parts of the states of Guerrero and Michoacán, the National Hurricane Center said.

Polo reached Category 5 strength Tuesday morning after its maximum sustained winds had risen from 150 mph to 160 mph. It may continue to strengthen somewhat through Wednesday, according to the hurricane center.

At 6 a.m., Polo was about 220 miles south of Zihuatanejo, a coastal resort city in the state of Guerrero, and about 360 miles south-southeast of Manzanillo, another coastal city and resort destination in the state of Colima. It was traveling eastward near the Pacific Coast of Mexico at 6 mph, according to the hurricane center.

The hurricane center said that "rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain."

A tropical storm watch was in effect for a stretch of the Mexican coast, from Tecpan de Galeana, in Guerrero, to Manzanillo. The hurricane center issues tropical storm watches when meteorologists forecast possible tropical storm conditions within the watch area, usually at some…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/