MANZANILLO, Mexico — Hurricane Simon strengthened into a powerful Category 4 hurricane off Mexico’s Pacific coast on Saturday, packing maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) as Mexican authorities expanded hurricane warnings along a stretch of coastline dotted with beach resorts and fishing towns.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its 09:00 UTC advisory that Simon’s centre was located about 125 miles (205 km) south of Manzanillo and moving north at around 5 mph (7 km/h). Forecasters said the storm could strengthen further, possibly reaching Category 5 later in the day, before approaching Mexico’s west-central coast later Saturday or early Sunday as a major hurricane.
FAKTA
- Category: 4, with sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h); central pressure down to 938 mb by midday
- Location: about 125 miles south of Manzanillo, moving north at 5 mph
- Hurricane warning: from Punta San Telmo in Michoacán to El Roblito in Nayarit, including the Islas Marías
- Expected landfall: Sunday, between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta, as a major hurricane
- Rainfall: 10 to 20 inches, with isolated totals of 30 inches, across Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit
Hurricane Simon warning zone expanded along tourist coast
Mexico extended the hurricane warning northwards from Punta Mita to El Roblito, including the Islas Marías, as Simon continued to intensify over warm Pacific waters. The full warning area now runs from Punta San Telmo to El Roblito, covering some of the country’s most popular tourist regions.
Simon is expected to make landfall on Sunday between Manzanillo — Mexico’s largest port and the main gateway for trade with Asia — and Puerto Vallarta, a popular beach destination home to nearly 300,000 residents. A senior AccuWeather meteorologist said the storm could deliver the most significant hurricane impact to this stretch of the Mexican Pacific coast since Hurricane Lidia in 2023, which damaged thousands of homes and devastated crops along the Jalisco coast.
Life-threatening flooding, mudslides and storm surge forecast
The NHC warned of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly on steep slopes, with 10 to 20 inches of rain forecast across parts of Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit through Sunday and isolated totals reaching 30 inches. Dangerous storm surge was forecast near and east of where the centre reaches the coast, alongside large, destructive waves. Swells were also expected to create hazardous surf and rip currents along southwestern and west-central Mexico.
Mexico’s civil protection authorities urged residents in the warning area to finish preparations. “We ask people to stay indoors at their homes and in temporary shelters while the hurricane passes,” Laura Velázquez, the national coordinator of civil protection, said at a press conference, adding that Simon was expected to reach Mexico’s coast as a major Category 3 or 4 hurricane.
Ports closed, Mexican Navy activates emergency response
The Mexican Navy activated emergency response personnel in Colima and restricted maritime traffic along parts of the Pacific coast, closing ports to smaller vessels and barring larger vessels from operating off Michoacán. In Manzanillo, fishermen were hauling their boats off the beach, and authorities were putting up black flags along the coast to signal that beaches were closed.
Airlines also braced for disruption: WestJet issued a travel advisory covering Puerto Vallarta flights from October 9 to 12, and Canadian authorities advised against non-essential travel to the affected coastal stretch from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita.
For more on major weather events in the Americas, see Watan News.
