Escalation: Mexico orders evacuations ahead of Polo

Mexico called for evacuations in parts of the southwest as Hurricane Polo neared the coast. Shelters were opened and thousands of military and Red Cross personnel were deployed, with strong waves already hitting some beaches.

Forecasters expected the center to skirt Guerrero without landfall but drop 4 to 6 inches of rain through Thursday, with life‑threatening flooding and mudslides possible, especially in Guerrero. By Wednesday night the storm was about 130 miles south‑southwest of Zihuatanejo with top winds near 160 mph.

Later, top winds were around 150 mph as it approached the Baja Peninsula, and emergency warnings and evacuation advisories were issued in Cabo San Lucas. Evacuations and preparations expanded beyond the southwest even as the storm’s core stayed offshore.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources