Hurricane Simon Strengthens to Category 4 With 150 mph Winds as It Nears Mexico’s Pacific Coast

Hurricane Simon intensified into a Category 4 storm on Saturday with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) while centred about 115 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. The National Hurricane Center said the storm was moving slowly northward and was expected to approach the west-central coast as a major hurricane late Saturday or early Sunday.

A hurricane warning covered the coast from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita, including the port of Manzanillo and areas near Puerto Vallarta. Tropical storm watches extended farther south. Mexican authorities warned of heavy rainfall across Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco. The NHC forecast 10 to 20 inches of rain through Sunday, with isolated amounts up to 30 inches possible in parts of Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco. Those totals carry a high risk of life-threatening flooding and mudslides on steep terrain.

Simon underwent rapid intensification, rising from Category 2 to Category 4 within roughly 24 hours. Central pressure fell to 933 millibars. The storm’s small inner core contributed to the speed of the strengthening. Forecasters noted that an eyewall replacement cycle may have occurred overnight, a process that can temporarily pause intensification before allowing further strengthening or a larger wind field.

Jalisco suspended classes in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating residents from high-risk areas. The Mexican Navy ferried about 100 families from communities including Yelapa and Quimixto to Puerto Vallarta. The Port of Manzanillo closed. Non-essential activities were restricted in multiple coastal municipalities beginning Saturday afternoon.

Storm surge and large waves were expected near and east of the landfall point. Catastrophic wind damage was forecast along the immediate coast, with gusts potentially exceeding 140 mph near the core. Power outages, downed trees and structural damage were anticipated across western Jalisco and adjacent states. Swells generated by the storm were already affecting the coast and creating dangerous surf conditions.

The 2026 Pacific season has been active. Simon is the 21st named storm and the ninth major hurricane. Earlier in the week the system organised south of Mexico and reached hurricane strength on Friday before the rapid jump in intensity. Landfall timing and exact location remained subject to the storm’s slow forward speed and any last-minute track adjustments.

Mexican civil-protection agencies opened shelters and pre-positioned rescue teams. Residents in low-lying and hillside communities were urged to complete preparations. The combination of extreme rainfall and major-hurricane winds raises the prospect of significant infrastructure disruption along Mexico’s Pacific coast even if the core of the storm makes landfall in a relatively sparsely populated stretch.

As of Saturday evening the NHC continued to advise that preparations should be rushed to completion. Further strengthening remained possible before landfall. Recovery planning will depend on the precise track and the volume of rainfall that falls on already saturated terrain in the western states.