Category 4 Hurricane Simon Threatens Mexican Pacific Coast as President Sheinbaum Orders Residents to Shelter

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has urgently instructed residents along the Pacific Ocean to remain indoors as Category 4 Hurricane Simon unleashes powerful winds and torrential rains upon coastal communities. As of Sunday, the hurricane’s eye was moving offshore of Mexico’s Jalisco state, carrying sustained winds of at least 240km/h (150mph).

The fierce storm has already battered areas situated between the Sierra Madre mountain range and the ocean, prompting warnings for mountainous and hilly regions to prepare for dangerous mudslides. Simon strengthened to a Category 4 storm on Saturday during an unusually active Pacific hurricane season.

“With the approaching impact of Category 4 Hurricane Simon, we urge residents of coastal municipalities in Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit and Michoacan to remain sheltered until authorities officially declare that the danger has passed,” Claudia Sheinbaum stated in a social media post on X on Sunday.

According to a midday advisory from the United States’ National Hurricane Center (NHC), Simon is projected to drop an additional 8 to 16 inches (20 to 41 cm) of rain across southwestern Mexico, with localized precipitation totals potentially reaching 76 cm (30 inches) in parts of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco through Monday. While it remains uncertain if the storm will make direct landfall, Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco faces the highest immediate risk.

In response to the threat, Mexico’s National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC) placed 28 municipalities across Jalisco and Colima under its highest cyclone alert level, while an additional 93 municipalities were placed under high alert. Authorities have suspended classes and initiated evacuations in the impacted zones.

Businesses in tourist hubs such as Puerto Vallarta have taken precautions by boarding up windows and placing sandbags at entrances. Jalisco’s Governor Pablo Navarro reported severe marine conditions along the coast, with waves reaching up to eight metres (26 feet), and urged citizens via social media to strictly follow official safety directives.