Polo regains Category 5 strength off Mexico as new cyclone threat brews behind

Hurricane Polo regained Category 5 strength on Friday as it moved away from Mexico's Pacific coast and into open waters, while forecasters tracked a separate disturbance to the south that could develop into another tropical cyclone in the coming days.



At 8 a.m. local time, Polo was about 470 km (290 miles) southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 285 kph (180 mph), the US National Hurricane Center said. The storm was moving west at 19 kph (12 mph) and is expected to continue on that track before gradually turning northwest and north over the weekend.



The Miami-based forecaster said Polo could approach Baja California Sur early next week as a major hurricane, although current projections show it passing north of the Los Cabos resort area.