Twin Pacific hurricanes batter Hawaii and Baja California as Nolo hits Cat 4, Polo approaches land

Two hurricanes bore down on opposite ends of the Pacific on September 27, forcing emergency declarations in Hawaii and urgent warnings along Mexico's Baja Peninsula — a rare double threat driven by an unusually powerful El Niño season.

Nolo, the nineteenth named storm of the 2026 Pacific hurricane season, rapidly intensified to Category 4 strength by the morning of September 28, becoming an annular hurricane as a ridge steered it west-northwestward away from the main Hawaiian Islands, according to Wikipedia. The storm had already left its mark: Spencer Beach Park on the Big Island recorded 17.25 inches of rain, the Kohala Mountain Road was forced to close due to flooding, and more than 16,000 people lost power across Hawaii as Nolo approached.

The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for parts of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, stretching from Nihoa to French Frigate Shoals. A hurricane watch signals that hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours — the window before tropical-storm-force winds make outdoor preparations dangerous. Rain bands swept across the Big Island and Maui on September 27, with the hurricane center warning that 'additional areas of flooding and mudslides will be possible, especially in areas of steep terrain.'

Large and damaging waves are still likely along portions of the Big Island coastline through today, and people should avoid hazardous shoreline areas.— Hawai'i Emergency Management Agency

Nolo's path to Category 4 was anything but straightforward. The storm first formed as Tropical Depression Fifteen-E on September 13, only to be torn apart by wind shear and degenerate into a remnant low by September 16. It regenerated in the central Pacific on September 23, was named Nolo that same day, and climbed from Category 1 to Category 2 before dry air knocked it back. It then restrengthed sharply, reaching Category 4 by 09:00 UTC on September 28, according to Wikipedia.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency for the state, Hawaiʻi County schools and offices closed, and the state arranged hotel rooms for residents in affected areas to evacuate to, according to Wikipedia.

Thousands of miles to the east, Hurricane Polo presented a more immediate danger to populated land. As of 6 p.m. ET on September 27, Polo was a Category 3 hurricane bearing down on Mexico's Baja Peninsula, with both hurricane and tropical storm warnings issued for mainland Mexico and along the Gulf of California coast, according to USA Today. The National Hurricane Center urged that 'preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,' warning that tropical storm conditions could arrive as soon as the evening of September 27 or early September 28.

The rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.— National Hurricane Center

Storm surge was also flagged as a significant risk, particularly in areas exposed to onshore winds. Tropical storm conditions were expected to spread across Baja California through September 28.

The two storms did not exhaust the season's activity. Former Hurricane Odalys was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone in the open Pacific on the evening of September 27, posing no threat to land. Meanwhile, Tropical Depression 18-E formed closer to Mexico and was expected to become a named storm and then a hurricane within days, with swells forecast to affect Mexico's southern coast, according to USA Today.

The cascade of storms is a direct product of a powerful El Niño, which has made the 2026 Pacific hurricane season extremely active, according to USA Today.

Looking ahead, the remnants of Polo are forecast to carry heavy rain into the central United States next week. AccuWeather warned that a large non-tropical storm sweeping eastward from the Great Basin and Rockies could merge with what is left of Polo around the same time.

As the two features combine, perhaps into a massive hybrid storm system, areas of beneficial rain and flash flooding are likely to unfold.— Alyssa Glenny, AccuWeather meteorologist

Why it matters — Two simultaneous major Pacific hurricanes — one threatening a U.S. state, one striking Mexico — with remnants forecast to bring flash flooding deep into the American interior next week, illustrate the compounding risks of an El Niño-supercharged season.

Reported by usatoday.com, en.wikipedia.org