Monster hurricane barrels toward US with 34 trillion gallons of rainfall and what it means for California

Hurricane Polo is barreling towards the US after slamming the Pacific coast of Mexico with powerful winds, torrential rain and pounding surf — with officials warning about possible life-threatening flash flooding.Polo made landfall Monday night along the west coast of Baja California Sur, just south of the small town of Las Barrancas, according to the National Hurricane Center.The storm was likely a Category 2 hurricane when it came ashore, packing maximum sustained winds of roughly 105 to 110 mph.By early Tuesday, Polo had weakened after moving over land but was still producing hurricane-force winds, with sustained winds of 75 mph and higher gusts, the NHC said.The storm has already battered Mexico’s Pacific coast with torrential rain, destructive waves and violent winds, leaving flooded streets and damaged properties in its wake.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story Now forecasters are warning that Polo’s soaking rains could trigger life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides, particularly in mountainous areas.As the storm moves across Mexico, as much as “34 trillion gallons of rainfall headed toward the Southwest and Central U.S,” could be on the way, Crisis Response International said in a social media post.The National Weather Service issued a bulletin for parts of west Texas and New Mexico warning of “potentially life-threatening flash flooding” through early Wednesday.Flash flooding has already been seen in parts of New Mexico as the Rio Grande swells beyond its banks.The threat will then shift farther east, with the agency warning of possible flash flooding from central Texas to central Oklahoma into Thursday.“Several inches of rain are possible, with 5–6+ inches possible across parts of Texas,” one meteorologist wrote on social media.�...