Tag Archives: Polo

Polo Rapidly Intensifies to a Hurricane

Former Tropical Storm Polo rapidly intensified to a hurricane on Monday as it moved over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Mexico.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Polo was located at latitude 15.3°N and longitude 103.0°W which put the center about 270 miles (435 km) south-southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico.  Polo was moving toward the east at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 977 mb.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Tecpan de Galeana to Punta San Telmo, Mexico.

Former Tropical Storm Polo rapidly intensified to a hurricane on Monday.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Polo’s circulation.  A small circular eye with a diameter of 12 miles (19 km) formed at the center of Hurricane Polo.  A ring of thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Polo’s circulation.  Storms near the center of Polo generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Hurricane Polo was small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 35 miles (55 km) from the center of Polo’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Hurricane Polo.

Hurricane Polo will move through an environment that will be very favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Polo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the middle of an upper level ridge that is south of Mexico.  The upper level winds are weak in the middle of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Polo is likely to intensify rapidly to a major hurricane during the next 24 hours.  Polo could strengthen to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale later this week.

Hurricane Polo will move around the northern side of a high pressure system that is over the equatorial Eastern Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Polo slowly toward the east during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Hurricane Polo will move a little closer to the coast of southwest Mexico.  A bigger and strong high pressure system is forecast to develop over Mexico on Tuesday.  The bigger and strong high pressure system will steer Hurricane Polo toward the northwest during the middle of this week.

Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Odalys continued to spin far to the southwest of Baja California.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Odalys was located at latitude 13.9°N and longitude 129.3°W which put the center about 1415 miles (2275 km) west-southwest of the the southern tip of Baja California.  Odalys was moving toward the northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1003 mb.

Tropical Storm Polo Forms South of Mexico

Tropical Storm Polo formed over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Mexico on Sunday evening.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Polo was located at latitude 15.1°N and longitude 104.6°W which put the center about 270 miles (435 km) south of Manzanillo, Mexico.  Polo was moving toward the east-northeast at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

A low pressure system over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Mexico strengthened on Sunday evening and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Polo.

More thunderstorms were developing near the center of Tropical Storm Polo on Sunday evening.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Polo’s circulation.  Storms near the center of Tropical Storm Polo began to generate upper level divergence that started to pump mass away from the tropical storm.

The strongest winds were occurring in the eastern side of Tropical Storm Polo.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) in the eastern half of Polo’s circulation.  The winds in the western side of Tropical Storm Polo were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Polo will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Polo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the middle of an upper level ridge that is south of Mexico.  The upper level winds are weak in the middle of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Polo will intensify during the next 24 hours.  Polo could intensify rapidly after an inner core forms.

Tropical Storm Polo will move around the northern side of a high pressure system that is over the equatorial Eastern Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Polo slowly toward the east during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Polo will move a little closer to the coast of southwest Mexico.

Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Odalys was gradually strengthening far to the southwest of Baja California.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Odalys was located at latitude 13.1°N and longitude 127.7°W which put the center about 1350 miles (2170 km) west-southwest of the the southern tip of Baja California.  Odalys was moving toward the northwest at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

Tropical Storm Polo Forms Southwest of Baja California

Tropical Storm Polo formed southwest of Baja California formed southwest of Baja California on Wednesday morning. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Iota was located at latitude 13.8°N and longitude 116.0°W which put it about 605 miles (970 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Polo was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

More thunderstorms developed near the center of a low pressure system southwest of Baja California on Wednesday morning and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Polo. The circulation around Tropical Storm Polo was small. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 35 miles (55 km) from the center of circulation. The strongest thunderstorms were occurring in a band that wrapped around the eastern and southern sides of the center of Polo. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the tropical storm.

Tropical Storm Polo will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Polo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 27.5°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak during the next 24 hours and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Storm Polo could intensify more on Wednesday. Polo will move closer to an upper level trough over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean on Thursday. The trough will produce southwesterly winds which will blow toward the top of Tropical Storm Polo. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear and the shear will cause Polo to start to weaken later this week.

Tropical Storm Polo will move south of an high pressure system over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The high will steer Polo toward the west during the next several days. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Polo will move farther away from Mexico.

Elsewhere, Tropical Depression Iota was moving across El Salvador. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday the center of Tropical Depression Iota was located at latitude 13.8°N and longitude 89.5°W which put it about 20 miles (30 km) west-northwest of San Salvador, El Salvador. Iota was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.