Hurricane Simon impacted Mexico’s Pacific coast as a Category 3 storm on Sunday, with its eye remaining just offshore while its strongest winds and rain affected areas between the Sierra Madre mountains and the ocean. The hurricane’s center moved parallel to the coast, approaching the Puerto Vallarta area, where the most intense winds and rain were expected to arrive around midnight and continue through Monday morning.
As of Sunday, the maximum sustained winds had weakened to 120 mph, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, but the storm was still classified as dangerous. This situation poses risks for residents in and around Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination in Jalisco, where many live in communities with housing that may not withstand the storm.
By Sunday afternoon, Simon's eye was moving northwest, approximately 45 miles south of Cabo Corrientes at a speed of about 5 mph. Philippe Papin, a senior hurricane center specialist, indicated that this area is most likely to experience a direct hit from the storm. Cabo Corrientes is located at the southern tip of Bahia de Banderas, the bay that Puerto Vallarta overlooks.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles, while tropical-storm-force winds reach up to 60 miles from the center of Simon, suggesting that the region between Mexico’s western coast and the Sierra Madre mountains could be significantly affected. Papin stated, “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.” He also noted the potential for heavy rainfall, which could lead to life-threatening flooding and mudslides in higher terrain areas along the coastline.
The hurricane center projected that Simon could bring an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain, with some areas possibly receiving up to 8 inches in the states of Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Sinaloa through early Thursday. The center warned that isolated maximum storm totals of 30 inches could occur in parts of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco, which would exacerbate flooding conditions, particularly in steep terrain.
As the storm approached Puerto Vallarta, National Guard vehicles patrolled the streets, and police used a megaphone to advise joggers, dog walkers, and cyclists to take shelter. Jalisco state officials suspended classes on Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating residents from at-risk areas, while urging the tourism sector to ensure that workers and visitors were accommodated in safe zones.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged residents in Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit, and Michoacan to remain sheltered until the government announces that the danger has passed. She encouraged adherence to civil protection recommendations and advised against traveling on public roads.
Hotel worker Víctor Martínez reported shopping for nonperishable food on Sunday afternoon, as he was unable to work due to suspended public transportation and hotel evacuations. He expressed that the community's concerns about the hurricane were reassuring, recalling a previous Category 5 hurricane that struck the area in 2002.
Despite the risks associated with Simon, tourists continued to arrive in Puerto Vallarta. Visitors Ricardo Ramírez and Brenda Villarreal, who had never experienced a hurricane before, sought food near the city’s boardwalk and encountered police urging people to take shelter. Ramírez stated they were unprepared for the situation, while Villarreal mentioned their long-planned vacation from Guadalajara.
“We don’t know the extent of the danger yet,” Villarreal said. “We’re just starting to see what’s going on.”