Hurricane Simon threatens Mexico's Pacific coast with catastrophic winds and flooding

PUERTO VALLARTA · Hurricane Simon churned just off Mexico's Pacific coast on Sunday as an extremely powerful Category 4 storm. The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported the storm had maximum sustained winds of 220 kilometres per hour, just below the threshold for a Category 5 hurricane. Its eye was moving parallel to the coastline near Puerto Vallarta, with the most damaging conditions expected overnight into Monday. It was unclear if the storm would make landfall, a factor that could help it maintain its intensity.

The hurricane centre warned of catastrophic wind impacts and a life-threatening storm surge along the west-central coast. Senior specialist Philippe Papin said the area most likely for a direct hit was the westernmost tip of mainland Mexico near Cabo Corrientes. "We're expecting catastrophic wind and life-threatening storm surge impacts along that west-central coast of Mexico where the hurricane warning is currently in effect," Papin said. The storm was forecast to dump 25 to 50 centimetres of rain across southwestern Mexico, with isolated totals up to 76 centimetres in Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states. Authorities in Jalisco state suspended classes in 22 coastal municipalities and evacuated people from high-risk zones. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged residents in several states to stay in shelters until officials declare the danger has passed. "Precautionary evacuation efforts to safe zones are ongoing; the priority is our safety," she wrote on the social platform X. In Puerto Vallarta, police and National Guard units patrolled streets, using megaphones to order people away from the waterfront and into shelter.

Local businesses boarded up windows as the storm approached. Jesús Gómez, working outside a shop, expressed hope the area would be spared. "Let's hope it doesn't hit us, right? That it doesn't affect us," Gómez said. "We'll be working as usual throughout the day, but when Civil Protection officials come and tell us we need to close, then we'll close and take shelter until the storm passes." Hotel worker Víctor Martínez said the community was taking the threat seriously due to a past hurricane that struck in 2002. "It happened to us before. It hit us years ago," Martínez said. "People didn't expect it. We were very skeptical that it would ever hit us. Now, though, we're different. Precautions are being taken."

Some tourists in the popular resort destination were caught unaware by the storm's severity. Visitors Ricardo Ramírez and Brenda Villarreal, who had traveled from Guadalajara, were seeking food near the closed boardwalk when police told them to take shelter. "We don't know the extent of the danger yet," Villarreal said. Canadian visitor Ed Currie said his vacation plans were unchanged for the moment. "Just stay in the hotel and look out the window hopefully," Currie said. "I just don't know what to expect." The hurricane centre warned that the heavy rain would produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.

With files from Global News, Castanet and KTVN