Category 4 Hurricane Simon nears Mexico’s Pacific coast with 155 mph winds and flood threat

Hurricane Simon is a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph and a minimum central pressure of 930 millibars, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its 3 a.m. CST Sunday advisory. The center was located about 60 miles west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and 120 miles south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes. It is moving north-northwest at 6 mph. On the forecast track the core will pass near or just inland over west-central Mexico later Sunday.

A hurricane warning is in effect from Punta San Telmo to El Roblito. Tropical storm conditions are already spreading northward. The NHC warned of catastrophic wind and life-threatening storm surge along a portion of the coast. Rainfall totals of 10 to 20 inches are expected over southwestern Mexico, with isolated amounts of 30 inches possible in parts of Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco. That rain will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in steep terrain.

Mexican authorities have suspended non-essential activities in coastal municipalities of Jalisco and evacuated families from communities such as Yelapa and Quimixto by ferry to Puerto Vallarta. The Port of Manzanillo closed. One death was reported earlier in Guerrero when a stone wall collapsed. Power poles and trees were downed in Acapulco, and some houses flooded. Further impacts are expected as the storm moves closer.

Simon formed on 7 October from a low-pressure area south of Mexico. It intensified rapidly, reaching hurricane strength on 9 October and major-hurricane status the following day. It is the twenty-first named storm, eleventh hurricane and ninth major hurricane of the 2026 Pacific season. Some slight weakening is possible as the circulation interacts with land, but the storm is still forecast to remain a powerful hurricane while near the coast.

Swells generated by Simon will affect the southwestern and west-central coasts for several days, creating dangerous surf and rip currents. After Sunday the track becomes more uncertain because of a weak ridge building to the north. Some models keep the system offshore longer; others bring it inland sooner. Regardless of the exact path, the combination of wind, surge and extreme rainfall poses an immediate threat to coastal and inland communities in Colima, Jalisco and neighbouring states.

Residents in the warning area have been told to complete preparations. The Mexican National Water Commission and local civil protection agencies continue to issue updates. No major U.S. land impact is expected. The storm’s slow movement increases the flood risk because heavy rain will persist over the same areas for many hours.

As of early Sunday the eyewall was very near the coast. Further strengthening is no longer the main concern; the primary hazards are now the winds already occurring, the surge along the shoreline, and the rainfall that will continue through Monday. Recovery from flooding and landslides in mountainous terrain is likely to take longer than the wind damage itself.