Two hurricanes are threatening major destruction this weekend in Mexico and Hawaii: Hurricane Polo and Hurricane Nolo.
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In Mexico, Hurricane Polo is “one of the strongest storms the eastern Pacific basin has ever seen,” according to NASA. Polo, which has fluctuated between Category 4 and Category 5 classification, began as a tropical storm and is now a major hurricane.
In Hawaii, Hurricane Nolo continues to gain strength as it approaches the Big Island, where residents are still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Lala.
These Pacific storms are evidence of the potentially catastrophic consequences associated with the changing weather patterns of Super El Niño. The total number of eastern Pacific hurricanes has already surpassed what occurs in a typical hurricane season, with a little more than two months remaining in the season.
“It’s just a party out there, one right after the other in the eastern Pacific,” Phil Klotzbach, a Colorado State University hurricane expert, told The Associated Press.
Warnings of ‘life-threatening flooding’ accompany Hurricane Polo in Mexico
Hurricane Polo has brought with it winds of 160 mph and heavy rains that could cause “life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
Extremely powerful Category 5 #HurricanePolo is continuing to churn off the coast of Mexico as the sun rises this morning. Polo is expected to approach Baja California Sur early next week. Farther west, #HurricaneOdalys can also be seen in this imagery from @NOAA’s #GOESWest… pic.twitter.com/EAOThYaqP0
— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) September 25, 2026
Mexico’s government has issued evacuations in at-risk areas. Thousands of military and Red Cross personnel are deployed to provide aid in the affected regions.
In a 24-hour period, Polo experienced “one of the fastest rates of intensification on record in the eastern Pacific,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a phenomenon the National Hurricane Center described as “truly remarkable.”
The hurricane is expected to move northeast on Monday, approaching the Baja California Sur.
Significant rainfall is forecast through Tuesday as the storm continues, with some weakening expected over the weekend.
Hurricane Nolo gains strength as it approaches Hawaii’s Big Island
Hurricane Nolo officially became a hurricane Thursday night and is expected to become a major hurricane on Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“Nolo continues on a gradual strengthening trend this morning,” the center said Friday, adding that the storm should “significantly intensify” within the coming days.
Tropical Storm Nolo is expected to strengthen into a hurricane today as it moves northward to north northeastward, potentially making its closest approach to the Big Island as a major hurricane on Saturday. Significant heavy rainfall and flooding impacts are expected, with 15 to… pic.twitter.com/1EeaD8yFgN
— Hawaii EMA (@Hawaii_EMA) September 24, 2026
The National Hurricane Center predicted maximum rainfall amounts of 25 inches, which the center warned could produce “catastrophic life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.” Flooding is a main concern, particularly on the southeastern parts of the Big Island, which is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Lala in August.
Tropical storm conditions are expected on the Big Island beginning Friday night, with hurricane conditions possible Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Nolo has intensified to a Category 1 Hurricane, and is forecasted to make its closest approach to the Big Island this Saturday. Flash flooding and strong winds remains the primary threat, especially over Maui and the Big Island. See below for key messages. pic.twitter.com/ob0eghEaz4
— NWSHonolulu (@NWSHonolulu) September 25, 2026
No major hurricane on record has tracked this close to the Big Island, according to scientists, and experts are warning “the time to finish preparations” for significant flooding “is now.”
“For O’ahu residents, the next 24 to 48 hours will be important,” said the office of the mayor of Honolulu in a statement. “Nolo’s track and intensity will continue to come into sharper focus, giving forecasters a better picture of what conditions the island could experience this weekend.”
Why is the Pacific getting pelted with hurricanes?
This year, eastern Pacific storm activity is nearly double what is normal and hurricanes are lasting longer than usual — something that comes at no surprise to many scientists who have been predicting heavy hurricane activity in the Pacific since early this year.
For decades, scientists have found a correlation between El Niño and the location of hurricane activity. During El Niño, there tends to be below average activity in the Atlantic Ocean and stronger activity in the central and eastern Pacific, according to The Associated Press.
El Niño, a phenomenon referring to above-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, causes a thick layer of warm seawater and low wind shear, creating favorable conditions for hurricane formation in the Pacific Ocean, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, while simultaneously fostering conditions less conducive to hurricane formation in the Atlantic.
The effects of El Niño tend to peak during the winter months, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with its most significant impacts in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition to the increased hurricane activity in the Pacific, this phenomenon could potentially lead to stormier weather in the southern U.S. and high tide flooding on the West Coast.
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