Hurricane Polo is closing in on Mexico’s Baja California Sur, where it is expected to make landfall late Monday before moving on to hit mainland Mexico. The storm, which briefly became a powerful Category 5 hurricane over the Pacific, is bringing dangerous winds, heavy rain and the threat of deadly flooding.

Where Hurricane Polo Is Headed

As of early Monday, Polo was a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph, according to Reuters. The center was about 110 miles southwest of Cabo San Lazaro in Baja California Sur.

Forecasters expect the storm to come ashore on the Baja California Sur peninsula late Monday afternoon. It is then forecast to cross the Gulf of California and make a second landfall in southern Sonora late Monday or early Tuesday.

Hurricane warnings stretch across a wide area of northwestern Mexico, including parts of the Baja California peninsula and the mainland coast, CBS News reported. Tropical storm warnings and hurricane watches cover additional coastal areas.

A Storm That Hit Category 5 Strength

Polo has already been one of the most intense storms of the Pacific season. It reached Category 5 status with peak winds of 180 mph before weakening, CBS News reported.

AccuWeather noted that those peak winds put Polo in the same league as some of the strongest eastern Pacific hurricanes on record, including Hurricane Rick in 2009 and Hurricane Patricia in 2015.

Even though Polo has weakened since then, it remains a large and dangerous storm. Forecasts have differed on exactly how strong it will be at landfall, but officials are urging people in its path to prepare for a serious hit.

Heavy Rain and Flooding Threat

Rain may end up being the most dangerous part of this storm. Reuters reported the following rainfall forecasts:

• Baja California Sur: 6 to 12 inches of rain.
• Sonora: 4 to 6 inches, with isolated spots getting up to 8 inches.

That much rain in a short time can cause flash floods and mudslides, especially in mountain areas. Mexico’s civil protection agency warned of “life-threatening winds and flash floods.” Officials also told residents to unplug electrical appliances and keep flashlights or other light sources ready in case of power outages.

The Baja California state government has opened temporary shelters in five municipalities for people living in high-risk areas, according to Reuters.

The storm’s outer effects have already been deadly. Reuters reported that two children died and their parents were missing after their home was swept away in the state of Jalisco. A young woman was also swept away by strong currents in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta.

These early losses are a reminder that hurricanes can cause harm far from the eye of the storm, especially through flooding, rip currents and landslides.

What It Means for the United States

Americans with travel plans to Los Cabos, La Paz or other parts of Baja California Sur should check with airlines and hotels before heading out. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has issued weather alerts about the storm.

Moisture from the storm could also reach the U.S. later this week. AccuWeather has said tropical moisture tied to Hurricane Polo could combine with a separate weather system to bring heavy rain to parts of New Mexico and Texas, with some areas possibly seeing several inches. That could raise the risk of flash flooding, though the rain could also bring some relief to drought-stricken areas.

What’s Next

Hurricane Polo should weaken as it moves over land, but heavy rain will likely continue across northwestern Mexico into Tuesday. Residents in the warning areas should follow instructions from local officials, and travelers should keep an eye on updates from the National Hurricane Center.

We will continue to follow the storm and its effects on both sides of the border. Find more world news and breaking updates on our site.

Sources: Reuters, CBS News, AccuWeather