Hurricane Simon reaches Category 4 strength as it nears Mexico's coast

Hurricane Simon has intensified into a powerful Category 4 storm with winds of 155 mph as it moves toward Mexico's west-central Pacific coast.

The National Hurricane Center reported that Simon’s maximum sustained winds increased to 155 miles per hour on Saturday. According to CBS News, the storm was located about 65 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo and was moving slowly northward at 5 mph. Forecasters expect the hurricane to approach the coast on Sunday as a major storm, though it may weaken quickly if its core moves fully onshore after landfall.

The hurricane center warned of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with rainfall totals potentially reaching 10 to 20 inches across southwestern Mexico. Some areas in Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco could see up to 30 inches of rain. Reuters and Al Jazeera also confirmed the storm's escalation to Category 4 status as it threatens the region with dangerous storm surges and destructive waves.

In response to the threat, officials in Jalisco state suspended Monday classes in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating residents from high-risk zones. Businesses and hotels in the tourist hub of Puerto Vallarta were seen boarding up windows on Saturday morning. Authorities urged the tourism sector to ensure that visitors and workers were moved to shelters or safe zones by Friday afternoon.

Local residents in Puerto Vallarta expressed hope that the storm would bypass the area while preparing to follow civil protection orders. The National Hurricane Center advised that preparations to protect life and property should be finished immediately before conditions worsened on Saturday night.

Background

Hurricane Simon intensified rapidly on Saturday to sit just below a Category 5 classification, which requires sustained winds of 157 mph.