A tale of two basins: A quiet Atlantic contrast with a Pacific hurricane surge
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - While the Atlantic hurricane season remains historically quiet, the tropics are anything but dormant.
As of late September, the Atlantic Basin has yet to produce a single hurricane this season. Shift your eyes to the Pacific, however, and it is an entirely different story. The eastern and central Pacific are intensely active, tracking three storms, two of which pose serious threats to land over the coming days.
Hurricane Polo threatens Baja; remnants could bring heavy rain to the U.S.
The most immediate powerhouse is Major Hurricane Polo, a near-Category 5 beast spinning off the western coast of Mexico.
- Current Track & Intensity: Polo continues to churn to the northwest, producing powerful winds and dangerous seas offshore.
- Forecast Landfall: The system is forecast to make a gradual turn into Baja California. While interaction with cooler waters will weaken the system before landfall, it will still bring significant wind, storm surge, and torrential rainfall to the peninsula.
- U.S. Impacts: After landfall, remnant tropical moisture from Polo is projected to lift northeastward into the southern Plains of the United States, raising the threat of flash flooding next week.
Nolo Puts Hawaii on Alert
Simultaneously in the Central Pacific, forecasters are monitoring Tropical Storm Nolo, which is tracking toward the Hawaiian Islands.
- Tracking the Turn: Nolo is currently pushing north, making an uncomfortably close approach to the islands. Forecast models indicate the storm will make an abrupt, sharp turn to the west as a major hurricane, steering just south of the Big Island.
- Watches & Warnings: Despite the projected westward turn, a Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch are in effect for the Big Island of Hawaii where destructive winds and flooding rains are possible.
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