Hurricane Polo stayed well out to sea, but its swell reached Los Cabos all the same. On September 26, the municipal government kept a preventive closure on beaches across the entire municipality, with black flags up on the sand.

Héctor Hugo Agúndez Cota, the municipal Zofemat coordinator, said crews from Zofemat, the municipal police and Civil Protection were patrolling the coast, asking people to leave the water and respect the closures because of the high surf. He urged residents and visitors to follow official channels for updates on the storm.

Sunny skies, rough sea

This is the tricky part of a distant hurricane: the weather in Cabo can look perfectly lovely while the ocean is not. The Gringo Gazette reported on September 27 that Polo had weakened to Category 3 and sat roughly 520 km (320 miles) southwest of Cabo San Lucas, with swells of 2.5 to 3.5 meters (8 to 11 feet) expected along the coast. The paper also reported small-craft navigation halted at Puerto Cabo San Lucas and at Puerto Los Cabos in San José del Cabo, while Los Cabos International Airport remained open.

On September 28, municipal Civil Protection noted that Polo had not hit Los Cabos directly, but warned that its wide circulation could still bring cloud bands and showers, and that clear skies don’t rule out rain. Officials were also keeping an eye on a second system, Rachel.

In between, there was some good news for the shoreline: during a seabed and coastal cleanup, Zofemat removed more than 250 tires that recent rains had washed down the arroyos into the sea at Cabo San Lucas.

If you’re visiting during hurricane season

The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs through November 30. Ask your hotel about flag colors before you swim, and remember that black means no one goes in. Our Los Cabos hurricane guide and weather page explain what to expect this time of year.

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