Simon becomes a Category 4 hurricane in the Pacific and is expected to make landfall on Mexico's coast over the weekend

Image source, NOAACaption, Simon follows a path that takes it to the west coast of Mexico.Author, Editorial TeamAuthor's title, BBC News MundoPublication date 9 October 2026Updated 9 minutes agoReading time: 5 minThe coasts of western Mexico are on alert as Hurricane Simon approaches, having intensified its strength in recent hours. In its latest report early Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Simon was 205 km from the port of Manzanillo, with winds of 230 km/h, making it a category 4 hurricane."Rapid additional strengthening is expected over the next day or so. Simon is forecast to approach the west-central coast of Mexico as a major hurricane tonight or early Sunday," the NHC said. Simon's bands were causing torrential rains in regions of the states of Guerrero and Michoacán, as well as intense rains in the west and south of the country, along with strong winds and high waves, according to Mexico's National Meteorological Service (SMN). The NHC indicated that one of Simon's greatest dangers is the storm surge that will affect the coast near where it makes landfall: "The surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves," it said. Further north, Tropical Storm Rachel —a hurricane that has lost intensity— is heading toward landfall near the border between the United States and Mexico, also on the Pacific. Although Rachel is expected to reach the coast late Saturday, its effects are already being felt in southern California due to high tides. Image source, ReutersCaption, Businesses in Puerto Vallarta prepare for the hurricane's arrival.Deployment of personnelIn response to Simon's arrival, Claudia Sheinbaum's government ordered the deployment of Navy, Army and National Guard personnel, as well as the opening of shelters for people with vulnerable housing. Skip Most read and continue readingMost readEnd of Most readMexico's head of Civil Protection, Laura Velázquez, said that coastal populations, from Puerto Vallarta, in the state of Jalisco, to Manzanillo, in Colima, should pay attention to official advisories. "We ask that you stay in your homes and temporary shelters during the hurricane's passage," she said at the morning presidential conference."We ask the population of Jalisco, in the municipalities of Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes, Tomatlán, La Huerta, Zihuatlán, Purificación, as well as in Colima, the municipalities of Manzanillo, Armería and Tecomán, to be very well informed of the official advisories," Velázquez added. Manzanillo is Mexico's largest commercial port on the Pacific, while Puerto Vallarta is a popular international tourist destination. Image source, SMNCaption, Simon could make landfall as a powerful hurricane on the coasts of the state of Jalisco and then head directly toward Puerto Vallarta.Impacts in AcapulcoBefore Simon became a hurricane, its progress along the country's southern coast as a tropical storm caused heavy rains in the resort town of Acapulco. Governor Evelyn Salgado said this Friday that, according to the latest report, there were no deaths or missing persons, but there were some impacts from the heavy rains."There were floods in some neighborhoods, with damage to vehicles, homes and commercial establishments," she reported. Images shared by social media users showed flooded streets and streams of water descending from the hillside neighborhoods. Some swept away light vehicles. Some parts of Acapulco are still recovering from the devastating Hurricane Otis in 2024, which caused severe damage to hotels, homes, roads and urban infrastructure. This year, cyclonic activity in the Mexican Pacific has been more intense due to the "El Niño" phenomenon, which is expected to reach its greatest impact at the end of this year and the beginning of the next. Image source, X/Evelyn SalgadoCaption, Several neighborhoods in Acapulco experienced flooding early Friday."Super El Niño"Each El Niño phenomenon is different, so its repercussions on global weather patterns cannot be guaranteed. And the unprecedented strength of the current one, colloquially called "Super El Niño," does not necessarily mean it will have unprecedented effects on the weather."Scientists are still evaluating whether the impacts will be proportional to its magnitude, but we are already observing the expected effects around the world," said Adam Scaife, head of long-range prediction at the UK Met Office, last week. The El Niño phenomenon increases the probability of storms and floods in some regions and of droughts and wildfires in others. Another typical impact of El Niño is the reduction of hurricane activity in the Atlantic due to changes in wind patterns in the upper layers of the atmosphere. The Atlantic had remained hurricane-free until this Thursday, when Isaías formed in the Gulf of Mexico. But the first one not occurring until October set a record in the records. The opposite happens in the Pacific, where El Niño tends to increase the formation of storms and hurricanes, as has already been seen this year. Other possible effects, some of which are already being felt, include a greater risk of flooding in coastal areas of Ecuador, Peru and the southern United States, and a greater threat of droughts and wildfires in Brazil, Australia and Indonesia. These weather phenomena can have significant repercussions on crop yields, food security and economies around the world. 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