By Zoila Palma: The Pacific basin is experiencing an unusually active stretch of tropical weather, fueled by a powerful El Niño, with several tropical cyclones developing across the region.
As of Sept. 22, Hurricane Polo had rapidly intensified into a dangerous Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph while moving off the coast of Mexico, while another developing system near Hawaii was also being closely monitored.
Polo became the third Category 5 hurricane recorded in the eastern Pacific this season, tying 1994 for the most Category 5 hurricanes in the basin by Sept. 22, according to Colorado State University hurricane scientist Phil Klotzbach.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds increased by 95 mph in just 22 hours. Despite its strength, the National Hurricane Center said Polo remains relatively small, with hurricane-force winds extending about 30 nautical miles from its center.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Odalys could approach Polo in the coming days, potentially producing the rare Fujiwhara Effect, in which two nearby tropical cyclones rotate around a common center. The interaction can make storm tracks more difficult to predict, and the National Hurricane Center said uncertainty in both systems’ forecasts increases because of their potential interaction.
Hawaii is also facing another potential tropical threat, with remnants of a previous tropical depression showing a 70% chance of redeveloping within 48 hours and a 90% chance over seven days.
The post International News: El Niño fuels explosive Pacific hurricane activity as multiple storms threaten region appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The Pacific basin is experiencing an unusually active stretch of tropical weather, fueled by a powerful El Niño, with several tropical cyclones developing across the region. As of Sept. 22, Hurricane Polo had rapidly intensified into a dangerous Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph while moving off the
The post International News: El Niño fuels explosive Pacific hurricane activity as multiple storms threaten region appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
