NEW: Americans Warned As Powerful Hurricane Closes In On Landfall

Millions of Americans are under flood watches as Hurricane Polo heads toward Mexico, threatening to send torrential rain across already-soaked parts of the Southwest.

The danger could linger well after the storm breaks apart. Forecasters expect Polo’s moisture to push inland through the week, bringing repeated downpours to areas where last week’s rain has left the ground saturated.

Flood watches cover parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. Some communities could get as much as 4 inches of rain, raising the risk of flash flooding.

“High rainfall rates and repeated rounds of rain up to 4 inches may result in instances of flash flooding,” the National Weather Service said in a Monday alert.

“Heavy rainfall from last week has saturated soils and will elevate the flood threat further into Wednesday morning.”

Albuquerque, Los Alamos and Santa Fe, New Mexico, could receive up to 3 inches of rain. Isolated areas around El Paso, Texas, could see as much as 4 inches.

Watches in Arizona and Utah extend through at least Tuesday night, while those in Texas and New Mexico stretch into Wednesday.

Before that moisture reaches the U.S., Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula faces a direct hit.

Polo was a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph as it approached the peninsula’s western coast. Landfall was forecast for late Monday, around 10 p.m. Eastern time. The storm was expected to weaken to Category 2 strength, with sustained winds reaching 110 mph.

Residents and tourists were bracing for gusts of 120 mph, storm surges reaching 10 feet and rainfall totals of up to 8 inches through Tuesday night.

“Heavy rainfall associated with Polo will impact Baja California Sur along with southern and central portions of Sonora today into Tuesday,” the National Hurricane Center said.

“This rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain. Moisture from Polo will support heavy rainfall and flooding potential across the Southwest US into the Southern High Plains late today into Tuesday.”

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico urged Americans in Baja California and Sonora to prepare in a Sept. 24 advisory. Officials warned visitors to avoid beaches because of dangerous surf and potentially deadly rip currents, with flooding and mudslides posing additional threats.

Power failures and road closures could complicate travel. Flights and access to Highway 15, a major route connecting the region with the U.S. border, could also be disrupted.

“Have evacuation plans that do not rely on US Government assistance,” federal officials warned.

Polo’s reach could eventually extend far beyond the border states.

Florida meteorologist Matt Devitt outlined the storm’s projected path in a post on X: “Hurricane Polo is going to have itself quite a week. Landfall as a potential major hurricane along Baja California Sur on Monday, New Mexico on Tuesday, Nebraska on Wednesday as leftovers.”

AccuWeather said moisture associated with Polo could also bring rain to parts of California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wyoming and the Northern Plains.

The remnants could eventually help fuel showers and thunderstorms as far away as the Great Lakes, including Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.