Category 3 Hurricane Simon remains off western Mexico after heavy rain floods Manzanillo

Satellite image of Hurricane Simon at UTC on October 12, 2026. Credit: NOAA/GOES-19, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers At LT ( UTC), Simon was centered about 235 km (145 miles) west-northwest of Manzanillo and 75 km (50 miles) southwest of Cabo Corrientes. The hurricane was moving northwest at 7 km/h (5 mph). Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 30 km (15 miles) from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reached 95 km (60 miles). A Hurricane Warning remained in effect from Playa Pérula to El Roblito and for Las Islas Marías, with a Hurricane Watch north of El Roblito to Bahía Tempehuaya. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said hurricane conditions were likely occurring within the warning area and were expected to spread northward during October 12. /NHCHeavy rain flooded homes and streets in Manzanillo on October 11, where soldiers assisted affected families. 28 municipalities in Jalisco and Colima were under the highest cyclone alert level and another 93 were under high alert. Air transportation remained disrupted along the affected coast. Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico said official aviation notices scheduled Puerto Vallarta International Airport to remain closed to all operations until LT ( UTC) on October 13 and Manzanillo International Airport until LT ( UTC) on October 12. NHC said Simon showed modest structural degradation early on October 12, with its eye becoming filled, although satellite-based intensity estimates remained widely dispersed. Further weakening was forecast because of interaction with Mexico’s mountainous terrain and increasing easterly wind shear, although waters of 31–32°C (88–90°F) could slow the weakening if the center remained farther offshore. NHC forecast Simon to move slowly northwest through early October 13 before turning gradually north and northeast toward west-central Mexico around midweek. Track uncertainty remained higher than normal because forecast models differed on how long Simon might remain in weak steering currents before beginning the northeastward turn. Simon was expected to remain a hurricane through midweek and weaken rapidly after moving over Mexico’s mountainous terrain. NHC forecast an additional 50–100 mm (2–4 inches) of rain across coastal southwestern and west-central Mexico. Isolated amounts of 150–200 mm (6–8 inches) were possible in parts of Jalisco early in the week and in Sinaloa mainly on October 14 and 15. Isolated storm-total accumulations near 760 mm (30 inches) remained possible in parts of Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco. NHC warned that the rainfall could produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides or worsen flooding already underway, particularly in steep terrain. A dangerous storm surge was expected along the immediate coast near and east of where Simon’s center approaches land, accompanied .