Luckily, Hurricane Polo hasn’t harmed any humans, but we’ll see how Scorpion Bay’s sand bars fared. Photo: Scorpion Bay Hotel//Facebook
Hurricane Polo slammed the Baja California coast early Tuesday morning as a Category 2 hurricane, making landfall just south of the town of Las Barrancas — about 30 miles south of the famed surf spots of Scorpion Bay.
Baja California’s governor Victor Manuel Castro said no one was killed as torrential rain and winds of 110 mph crossed the Baja Peninsula.
“The most important thing is the well-being of our people,” Manuel Castro said. “We will remain close to the communities, addressing needs as they arise and supporting those who need it most.”
After crossing the Sea of Cortez, the hurricane, still with Category 1 strength, made landfall again at the port town of Guaymas. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm as it moves northeast over the state of Sonora, expected to bring heavy rain to the southwestern United States.
Videos circulating online showed the devastation in Baja California Sur. The National Hurricane Center expected Polo to dump six to 12 inches of rain on the peninsula, while mainland Mexico could see as much as eight inches in certain areas.
As Polo weakens over the continent, Tropical Storm Rachel formed off the coast of Mexico and is expected to become a major hurricane by Thursday afternoon. Models predict that Rachel will track towards Cabo San Lucas, then veer west into the Pacific Ocean. Still, the Baja Peninsula will brace for massive swells as the hurricane approaches.
Google’s DeepMind model predicts that Rachel could enter the Southern California swell window as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane this weekend, potentially setting up another run of swell for the start of the work week.
