Polo Cat 5 — NHC: expected to make landfall in Baja California Sur Monday

Note

National Hurricane Center Advisory 23, issued for 200 AM MST on September 26, kept Hurricane Polo at Category 5 and put the landfall word on the public bulletin. Sustained winds 165 mph, pressure 917 millibars, center near 17.6 north, 111.0 west — about 395 miles west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes and 375 miles south of Cabo San Lucas — moving west-northwest at 9 mph. The headlines call it an extremely dangerous Category 5 and say it is expected to make landfall in Baja California Sur on Monday as a powerful hurricane. Discussion 23 cites overnight NOAA aircraft and nudges intensity to 145 knots, still forecasting a powerful hurricane at Baja and a likely hurricane into northwestern mainland Mexico, with preparations to finish by Sunday. Intermediate Advisory 23A at 500 AM MST repeated the landfall headline at 160 mph and 922 mb near 17.7 north, 111.5 west, kept the Hurricane Watch from Punta Eugenia to Santa Fe, and flagged that watches will likely be required for the east coast of Baja later today while northwestern mainland Mexico monitors.

Hurricane conditions are possible in the watch by Monday afternoon, with tropical-storm conditions possible in the southern portion Sunday night. Rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, isolated 10, still sits on the bulletin for portions of Baja California Sur, with life-threatening flooding and mudslides in steep terrain. The overnight Adv 22 Watch card is superseded — this note is the Saturday landfall stamp. Next advisories, east-Baja watches, and any landfall revision stay on the HUD.