Category 4 Hurricane Simon threatens Mexico’s Pacific coast with extreme rainfall, prompting airport closures, activity suspensions and evacuation warnings.
Hurricane Simon has strengthened into a Category 4 storm, bringing sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour and threatening Mexico’s Pacific coast with extreme rainfall as authorities suspend nonessential activities, close airports and urge residents in high-risk areas to evacuate.
RELATED: Hurricane Simon Reaches Category 3 Off Mexico’s Pacific Coast
The storm is forecast to make landfall early Sunday near the municipalities of La Huerta and Tomatlán in Jalisco state, according to Mexico’s National Meteorological Service. Wind gusts could reach 295 kph, while rainfall exceeding 250 millimeters is expected to raise the risk of river flooding, urban inundations and landslides across Jalisco, Colima and Michoacán.
President Claudia Sheinbaum and the National Civil Protection Coordination ordered nonessential, commercial and recreational activities suspended from 4 p.m. Saturday in 24 vulnerable municipalities across Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán and Nayarit.
Post-Tropical Cyclone #Rachel Advisory 56 (8 PM PDT, Sat Oct 10): Rachel Showing Signs of Weakening as it Turns North-Northeastward. Strong Winds Expected in Portions of the Baja California Peninsula Tonight. https://t.co/NyUGSIFCuo
— NHC Pacific (@NHC_Pacific) October 11, 2026
Civil Protection chief Laura Velázquez Alzúa urged residents in high-risk areas to leave their homes immediately and seek shelter, particularly families living in properties vulnerable to flooding or landslides. She warned people not to wait for conditions to worsen before seeking safety and advised them to remain in secure locations and avoid unnecessary travel.
The affected municipalities include Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes and Cihuatlán in Jalisco; Manzanillo and Tecomán in Colima; Bahía de Banderas and Tepic in Nayarit; and Lázaro Cárdenas and Aquila in Michoacán.
Air and maritime transport have also been disrupted along the Pacific coast. The Pacific Airport Group announced that Puerto Vallarta International Airport would close temporarily from 6 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday. All flights scheduled after 5 p.m. Saturday, as well as all Sunday flights, were canceled.
9 PM CST Sat Oct 10 (Advisory 15) Key Messages for Hurricane #Simon. Latest info: https://t.co/NyUGSIFCuo
9 PM CST sábado 10 de octubre (Aviso 15) Mensajes clave sobre el huracán #Simon. Más información: https://t.co/NyUGSIFCuo pic.twitter.com/uHhbbvdkir
— NHC Pacific (@NHC_Pacific) October 11, 2026
Manzanillo airport suspended operations from 6 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Sunday, and all commercial airlines canceled their Sunday flights. Authorities urged passengers not to travel to either airport and to remain in their hotels or shelters.
The Navy imposed a complete ban on navigation for all types of vessels at the ports of Manzanillo, San Blas, Lázaro Cárdenas and Puerto Vallarta. Public transportation was also suspended in Puerto Vallarta.
Meanwhile, Simon’s outer rainbands and remnants had already caused damage in Guerrero state, particularly in the port city of Acapulco.
In the Ciudad Renacimiento neighborhood, a two-story house collapsed beside the Del Arroyo canal after rising waters in the Sabana River undermined its foundations, putting neighboring homes at immediate risk. Landslides were reported along the Acapulco-Zihuatanejo highway, walls collapsed in Lomas de Magallanes, and accumulated debris caused a collapse at the mouth of Las Hamacas beach.
About 500 National Guard personnel, supported by machinery from the National Water Commission and municipal response teams, were working to clear debris and mud and assist affected residents.
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