Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum issued shelter-in-place directives to residents across coastal communities as Hurricane Simon moved toward the Pacific shoreline. As of Sunday, the hurricane’s center was situated offshore of Jalisco state with sustained winds of at least 240 kilometers per hour, placing it at Category 4 strength on the five-point hurricane intensity scale.
Heavy precipitation has already affected regions located between the Sierra Madre mountain range and coastal areas, prompting authorities to issue mudslide warnings for communities in elevated and mountainous terrain. The National Hurricane Center projected additional rainfall accumulations of 20 to 41 centimeters across southwestern Mexico, with certain areas in Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco potentially receiving up to 76 centimeters through Monday. Governor Pablo Navarro of Jalisco documented storm surge conditions, with waves reaching approximately eight meters in height.
Mexican authorities designated 28 municipalities in Jalisco and Colima at the highest alert level, with an additional 93 municipalities placed under high alert status. Educational institutions suspended classes in the affected regions while evacuation operations commenced. Commercial establishments in tourist areas, including Puerto Vallarta, took protective measures by boarding windows and positioning sandbags at building entrances.
The specific landfall location remained uncertain, though Cabo Corrientes, a prominent cape jutting into the Pacific Ocean in Jalisco, faced the greatest immediate risk of a direct strike. The hurricane’s emergence coincided with what meteorologists described as an unusually active Pacific hurricane season. Authorities instructed residents to remain sheltered until officials confirmed that the danger had subsided.
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