Hurricane Simon strengthened to Category 4 off Mexico’s Pacific coast on Saturday, 10 October 2026, threatening areas in the west and south-west of the country with destructive winds, heavy rain, flooding and mudslides as it was expected to approach landfall on Saturday evening or early Sunday.
Simon reaches record wind speed off Manzanillo
The US National Hurricane Centre said Simon’s maximum sustained winds reached 150 miles, or 240 kilometres, per hour on Saturday morning. The hurricane’s centre was about 115 miles, or 185 kilometres, south-south-west of Manzanillo, moving north at around 3 miles, or 6 kilometres, per hour.
The air pressure at the hurricane’s centre was 938 millibars, while hurricane-force winds extended up to 30 kilometres from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds reached about 175 kilometres in some directions. The centre said further strengthening remained possible before Simon reached the coast.
West coast warnings ahead of hurricane’s arrival
The centre expected Simon to approach Mexico’s central west coast as a major hurricane on Saturday evening or early Sunday, and to be near or over the coast during Sunday. It urged people in areas covered by warnings to quickly complete preparations to protect lives and property before the strongest winds arrived.
The hurricane warning covered the area from Punta San Telmo to El Roblito, as well as the Marías Islands, while a tropical storm watch was issued from east of Punta San Telmo to Lázaro Cárdenas. Tropical-storm conditions were expected to begin reaching some coastal areas before the hurricane’s centre arrived, with the winds then spreading northwards.
Heavy rain threatens south-western Mexico
The centre warned that the rain could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly in areas with steep terrain. Mexican authorities also warned of heavy rain in the states of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco as the effects of rainbands associated with the hurricane spread.
A dangerous rise in sea levels was also expected along the coast near and to the east of the area where the hurricane’s centre would cross, accompanied by large, destructive waves. The centre said waves generated by Simon would affect parts of the south-western and west-central Mexican coasts in the coming days, potentially causing rip currents and life-threatening marine conditions.
Authorities in Jalisco suspended classes on Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating dozens of people from areas at risk. They also asked tourism facilities in Puerto Vallarta to ensure that staff and visitors moved to shelters or safe areas, as shops, hotels and other facilities began boarding up their windows ahead of the hurricane’s arrival.
Meteorologist Dan Biedenowski said Simon had intensified very rapidly, adding that its rapid development made it more dangerous. He said strong winds could damage homes and buildings, while flooding and mudslides could cut roads and hinder emergency crews’ access, with power outages and infrastructure damage also likely to persist after the hurricane passed.
