Hurricane Simon, a powerful Category 4 storm, is lashing Mexico’s Pacific coast, with its eye skirting just off the shoreline, unleashing intense winds and rain on the region between the Sierra Madre mountains and the sea. The storm’s trajectory is currently moving northward along the coast, and experts from the U.S. National Hurricane Center are uncertain if it will make a direct landfall, potentially maintaining sustained winds of up to 240 kilometers per hour.
This poses a significant threat to residents in the vicinity of Puerto Vallarta, a popular spot for American tourists. Many local communities, situated inland and uphill from the resort areas, may face challenges due to the storm’s impact on potentially vulnerable housing structures.
As of daybreak, Hurricane Simon was positioned approximately 175 kilometers south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes, inching its way north-northwest at a relatively slow pace of nine km/h. According to senior Hurricane Center specialist Phillippe Pappin, the westernmost tip of mainland Mexico stands as the most probable area for the storm to make landfall.
Pappin emphasized the imminent danger, stating, “Simon is very close to the coast of Mexico this morning.” Anticipating catastrophic winds and life-threatening storm surges along the west-central coast of Mexico where a hurricane warning is in place, Pappin also warned of heavy rainfall leading to potential flooding and mudslides in elevated terrains along the Mexican coast.
The hurricane is also causing heavy rainfall in southwestern Mexico, with projections of 25 to 50 cm in many regions and up to 76 cm in specific areas of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco. This excessive precipitation could trigger life-threatening flooding and mudslides in steep areas, prompting Jalisco state to take precautionary measures such as suspending classes and evacuating residents from vulnerable locations.
Preparations are underway in Puerto Vallarta, with businesses boarding up their windows in anticipation of the severe weather. The Hurricane Center has issued warnings about an anticipated dangerous storm surge and large, destructive waves along the coast near and to the east of the potential landfall area.
Despite the looming threat, Canadian tourist Ed Currie, currently in Puerto Vallarta with his wife, remains optimistic about their vacation plans. Currie expressed his intentions to stay indoors and monitor the situation, uncertain about what to expect from the approaching storm.
