As of September 21, 2026, Tropical Storm Polo is intensifying rapidly and is poised to become a major hurricane in the Pacific Ocean. Forecasts suggest that this storm could bring muggy weather to Southern California. Polo is expected to strengthen as it approaches the southwestern coast of Mexico, bringing intense rainfall that might lead to dangerous flooding and landslides. The National Hurricane Center issued this warning in its Monday forecast.
Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, noted that Polo could drag tropical moisture into Southern California. This depends on atmospheric conditions higher up. In recent history, storms such as Hurricane Marie have resulted in warmer, humid air in the region, similar to climates found in the South.
Polo marks the 16th named storm in the Eastern Pacific this year. Any possible effects from Polo will likely not be felt in Southern California until the weekend at the earliest, according to Lewis. He highlighted that the most significant impact could come from increased surf due to south swells. However, predicting the precise effects is challenging at this stage.
“After almost an entire summer of southern swell after southern swell, there could be some issues for those vulnerable coastlines,” Lewis stated.
This year alone, several local emergencies have been declared due to high surf from Pacific tropical storms which have eroded beaches. Communities such as Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and Carlsbad have reported coastal erosion and sand loss. Typically, El Niño leads to an unusually active hurricane season in the eastern Pacific and results in heavy winter rainfall in Southern California. This El Niño is anticipated to be the most intense in a generation.
Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency in anticipation of the upcoming winter storms. Concerns include the prospect of high surf and powerful storms impacting the state.