- Planet Earth ## How did Hurricane Polo get so powerful? Hurricane Polo exploded from a tropical storm into a powerful Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours on Tuesday. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. - Copy link - Facebook - Reddit - Pinterest - Flipboard A Pacific cyclone dubbed Polo exploded from a tropical storm into a powerful Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours on Tuesday (Sept. 22), with winds reaching speeds of 180 mph (290 km/h). Now drifting off the southwest coast of Mexico, Polo has been downgraded…