Hurricane Simon moved northward off Mexico’s Pacific coast on Sunday as a Category 4 storm, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to communities between the Sierra Madre and the ocean. Its eye remained offshore, and forecasters said it was uncertain whether the storm would make landfall or continue tracking close to the coastline.
At daybreak, the storm was about 175 kilometres south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes, moving north-northwest at eight kilometres per hour. It had sustained winds of 240 kilometres per hour. U.S. National Hurricane Center specialist Phillippe Pappin identified Cabo Corrientes, the westernmost point of mainland Mexico, as the area most likely to receive a direct hit on Sunday.
The hurricane centre warned of catastrophic winds, a dangerous storm surge and large waves along the west-central coast, particularly near and east of any landfall. Heavy rainfall also raised the risk of flooding and mudslides in steep terrain. Forecasters projected 25 to 50 centimetres of rain in many areas, with totals reaching 76 centimetres in parts of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco.
In Jalisco, authorities suspended classes on Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating residents from areas considered at risk. Officials also asked tourism businesses to ensure that both employees and visitors had access to shelters or safe locations. Ahead of the worst weather, businesses in Puerto Vallarta, including hotels and convenience stores, boarded up their windows.
Puerto Vallarta is a destination for Canadian tourists, but communities farther inland and uphill may have housing less able to withstand weather. In Manzanillo, photographs showed flooded streets and waves striking the shore on Sunday. Visitor Ed Currie said the storm had not yet changed his plans. He and his wife intended to remain in their hotel, although he said he did not know what to expect as the hurricane approached.