Hurricane Polo intensifies to rare category 5 storm off Mexico with 180 mph winds

Hurricane Polo rapidly intensified off Mexico’s Pacific coast to category 5, the season’s third such storm. A NOAA Hurricane Hunter recorded sustained winds near 180 mph (285 km/h) on Tuesday; the National Hurricane Center called the 24-hour jump “truly remarkable.” Warm El Niño waters are fueling the slow-moving storm, which is forecast to skirt south-western Mexico without landfall while delivering up to 6in (15cm) of rain, flooding, mudslides and dangerous surf. President Claudia Sheinbaum said direct landfall is unlikely but urged Pacific coast vigilance, highlighting Jalisco and Colima.