Hurricane Rachel nears coast with life-threatening conditions

NewsA vehicle navigates a flooded roadway as heavy rain move through the area, in San Antonio, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AP Photo/Eric GayBy Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.comHurricane Rachel is nearing the West Coast as a Category 3 storm with life-threatening conditions.The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Rachel was expected to strengthen more Friday as it travels off of Mexico’s Pacific Coast and parts of the U.S.Southwest. The storm was located Friday morning about 235 miles south off the southern tip of Baja California and moving west-northwest.The storm had maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour Thursday night, according to the hurricane center. Swells are expected to generate life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions off Mexico’s coast, the NHC warned.Heavy rain is also expected in the Mexican states of Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, and Jalisco. Landslides, rising river levels, overflowing rivers and flooding in low-lying areas have led to beach and port closures, including at the popular vacation destination in Cabos San Lucas.The region is still reeling from floods and destruction from Hurricane Polo that left hundreds displaced or had their homes destroyed. At least 13 municipalities remained flooded Thursday night, according to the Associated Press.Lucía Vegas told the AP she, her husband and three children were left homeless after flooding in the small town of Bacabachi in the border state of Sonora. Their dog woke the family as floodwaters were rising, prompting them to climb a ladder onto the roof.“Right now, we have been left with nothing,” the 39-year-old Vegas said through tears.Polo also caused heavy rain and flooding in parts of the U.S. The AP reports areas in Texas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa were still under flood watch Thursday afternoon as storm remnants continued to batter the region; Lincoln, Nebraska received a record 6.1 inches of rainfall on Wednesday..Fox Weather reports hurricane landfalls on Baja California are rare, but El Niño has fueled an unusually busy hurricane season in the Pacific Ocean. Rachel is the 20th named storm and 10th hurricane of 2026 in the Pacific basin.In the Atlantic Ocean, no hurricanes have formed to date this year. It’s the longest season without a hurricane in the Atlantic since 1914.Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert is a Reporter and Content Supervisor for Advance Local. He covers a wide range of topics including entertainment, national news and trending topics, plus specializes in search engine...