Hurricane Polo strengthens Tuesday in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico. NOAA.

By MEGAN JANETSKY AND GABRIELAAOUN | The ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEXICO CITY - Southwestern Mexico braced for heavy rain and mudslides Wednesday after Polo, a powerful Pacific cyclone, became a major hurricane. Forecasters also warned another system headed for Hawaii could cause catastrophic flooding later in the week.

Hurricane Polo, an "extremely dangerous" storm, is expected to skirt Mexico's Guerrero state, submerging coastal areas with 4 to 6 inches of rain through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Guerrero has been repeatedly pummeled by hurricanes in recent years.

Farther out in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Nola was churning about 305 miles south of South Point, Hawaii. The storm is expected to approach the Big Island as early as Friday and could drop up to 20 inches of rain, raising the possibility of flooding and mudslides.

Concepcion Lopez Villegas was busily bolstering her seaside restaurant in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, against the expected onslaught of rain. Strong waves were already hitting some beaches and Lopez Villegas said she feared the storm could destroy the small business she worked decades to build.

"We're worried and trying to protect our businesses," Lopez Villegas said. "And of course, we're sad because it's our heritage, our legacy that from one moment to another could be destroyed."

Guerrero state was particularly at risk of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, the hurricane center said.

Polo, which was swirling about 145 miles south-southwest of Zihuatanejo Wednesday, was not expected to make landfall, meteorologists and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said. Rain and strong winds had already started to pummel the coast, with waves crashing onto the normally pristine beaches.

The hurricane center warned that Polo's deluge could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, in particular in Guerrero.

The region most under threat from the hurricane is rural and mountainous, scattered with a few small tourist towns and ports. Much of the area is marked by poverty and residents routinely complain authorities abandon them to fend for themselves during natural disasters.

Mexico's government has called for evacuations in some areas and set up shelters for those affected. Thousands of military and Red Cross personnel have been deployed to the region.