Hurricane Simon Strengthens to Category 4 Storm —Expected to Hit Mexico’s West Coast Soon as Puerto Vallarta Boards Up

October 11, 2026 Team Contributor

Puerto Vallarta has faced powerful hurricanes before. October and the storm category are common to the incoming storm and its predecessor. The expected storm in Puerto Vallarta, named Hurricane Simon, brings back memories of Hurricane Lidia, which made landfall on the Jalisco coast as a Category 4 storm in October 2023.

Puerto Vallarta was fairly normal until Simon started knocking. The storm developed on October 7 from Tropical Depression Twenty-E, about 485 km southeast of Manzanillo.

Mexico’s weather service initially categorized Hurricane Simon as a modest Category 2 hurricane, expected to make landfall near Puerto Vallarta on Sunday. It is now a stronger Category 4 storm.

Surprisingly, the news comes at a time when the U.S. Southeast is still dealing with Hurricane Isaias, which hit the western Florida Panhandle on Friday night, leaving forecasters at the National Hurricane Center tracking Isaias, Simon, and Tropical Storm Rachel at the same time.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami on Saturday said the hurricane’s maximum sustained wind speed had increased to 150 m.p.h (240 km/h). The hurricane in Mexico could bring with it 10 to 20 inches (25-50 cm) of rain. Affected areas could include parts of southwestern Mexico.

Expect higher rainfall of up to 30 inches (76 centimetres) in the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco.

The Hurricane Simon public advisory from the centre, released at 900 PM CST on Sat Oct 10 2026, alerts “…PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA BEFORE CONDITIONS DETERIORATE LATER TONIGHT…”

As per the forecast, hurricane Simon is expected to be near or just inland over west-central Mexico on Sunday.

The centre also noted in its advisory that this rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.

Jalisco’s governor urged the public to stay informed, citing the hurricane’s “highly erratic behavior”, since its track had shifted between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta.

Mexico’s civil protection chief said an impact was possible Sunday morning between La Huerta and Tomatlán in Jalisco, south of Puerto Vallarta.

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be completed quickly.

As for Hurricane Simon’s path, at the time of publication, it is moving north. The official track brings the center onto the southern Jalisco coast as a major hurricane early Sunday afternoon.

After that, it moves toward the vicinity of Puerto Vallarta as a weakening minimal hurricane on Sunday night, likely slowing and dissipating by Tuesday.

AP reported that convenience stores, hotels and other businesses were boarding up their windows Saturday morning, when few were walking the streets under overcast skies.

Most tourists in Puerto Vallarta are staying inside their hotels and expect the situation to remain under control as the city braces for Hurricane Simon.

Jalisco suspended classes on Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating dozens of people from at-risk areas. The state’s civil protection agency asked tourism businesses to shelter staff and guests by Friday afternoon, and called for preventive evacuations in vulnerable areas.

The state civil protection director said, “If we let our guard down and try to come up with a last-minute action plan, it is highly likely that lives will be lost.”

Volaris cancelled flights on 10 and 11 October at five airports, including the Puerto Vallarta airport. Aeroméxico is letting passengers on affected routes change dates without fees.

WestJet has issued an advisory for Canadian travelers traveling to and from Puerto Vallarta from October 9 to 12. Americans and Canadians together made up nearly 96% of foreign visitors.

Canadians are a big part of the winter community, especially in Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Nayarit, and Bucerias. Hurricane Simon’s timing, just ahead of the season’s start, suggests the city should be back soon to welcome more visitors.