Hurricane Polo Explodes Into Rare Category 5

Hurricane Polo has grown very powerful very quickly and it's expected to keep getting stronger. The storm exploded from a 50mph tropical storm into a rare Category 5 behemoth with 160mph winds between Monday and Tuesday morning, hitting 180mph sustained winds in the eastern Pacific off Mexico, meteorologists say. That ties it with two West Pacific super typhoons as the strongest storm on Earth so far this year, CNN reports. The National Hurricane Center called Polo's rate of rapid intensification—winds jumping 110mph in 24 hours—"truly remarkable," placing it among the fastest on record in the region.

The hurricane center called Polo, which gained strength from warmer waters caused by the super El Nino, an "extremely dangerous" storm, the AP reports. Polo is expected to track northwest, staying offshore but close to Mexico's southwestern coast. Tropical storm alerts are up, with forecasters warning of heavy rain, dangerous flooding, and mudslides, particularly in Guerrero and Michoacán, through Thursday. Ports have been closed and fishing boats in Acapulco have been pulled onshore.