Remnants of Hurricane Polo swept across the U.S. Southwest on Tuesday evening after the system weakened over north‑western Mexico. The storm first struck Baja California Sur in the morning with sustained winds of 110 mph before crossing the Gulf of California and downgrading to a tropical storm as it moved north‑east.
By Tuesday night, the New Mexico Department of Transportation reported widespread highway flooding and debris, prompting evacuations in three small Rio Grande communities—Rincon, Salem and Garfield—due to concerns about a dam failure. Residents were ordered to seek higher ground before conditions worsened. The flooding was intensified by Monday’s overnight storms that had saturated the ground across the region.
Arizona experienced heavy rainfall that triggered several water rescues. A helicopter rescued a person stranded on a vehicle west of Phoenix, while another helicopter saved three people in Heaps Canyon, Zion National Park, after flash flooding struck. In north‑west Phoenix, a truck was swept away but its driver exited safely. The Bureau of Land Management reported significant flooding and damage to access roads in national conservation and recreation areas.
The National Weather Service warned that the flood risk would spread into the central United States. By late Tuesday, rain had begun in parts of the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles, and flood watches covered portions of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, with potential flooding expected through at least Thursday.
In Baja California Sur, the hurricane left residents in shelters but many expected to return home. Shopkeeper Elbia María Bachomo recounted how her family evacuated as water rose, and how her husband, who was fishing when Polo hit, survived. Hundreds of people remained in shelters on Tuesday.
Other tropical activity continued across the Pacific. Tropical Storm Rachel was moving parallel to Mexico’s coast and was anticipated to strengthen, while Hurricane Nolo, moving northward, threatened dangerous conditions for parts of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. This year’s Pacific storm activity remains above average, consistent with El Niño years.
