President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that Tropical Storm Polo, currently churning off Mexico’s Pacific coast, is expected to intensify into a Category 1 hurricane in the coming hours. Speaking from the National Palace, Sheinbaum urged residents in coastal states to stay alert and follow guidance from civil protection authorities as the storm system develops.
Category 1 is the lowest rung on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale used to classify hurricanes, corresponding to sustained winds of at least 119 kilometers per hour (74 mph). Even at this level, storms can down trees, damage roofs, and cause dangerous flooding and mudslides, particularly in mountainous or low-lying areas along Mexico’s western coastline.
Mexico’s National Water Commission (Conagua) is tracking Polo’s trajectory and will issue updates on its expected path and potential landfall. Authorities in the states likely to be affected are being asked to activate emergency protocols, including opening shelters and preparing for possible evacuations if conditions worsen.
Hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific typically brings several named storms to Mexico’s coast each year, and officials routinely urge caution even for storms that don’t reach major-hurricane strength, given the risks of heavy rainfall and coastal surge.
For the full details on President Sheinbaum’s alert and the storm’s projected path, read the original article at informador.mx.
Source: Sheinbaum alerta por intensificación de 'Polo' a huracán categoría 1 (informador.mx).
Image: NASA Goddard Photo and Video, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).