Hurricane Simon

Hurricane Simon
Simon near its peak intensity late on October 10
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 7, 2026
DissipatedOctober 16, 2026
Category 4 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds155 mph (250 km/h)
Lowest pressure928 mbar (hPa); 27.40 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities2 total
Injuries2
DamageUnknown
Areas affectedSouthwestern Mexico
Part of the 2026 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Simon was a powerful tropical cyclone that brushed the coast of Southwestern Mexico. The twenty-first named storm, eleventh hurricane, and ninth major hurricane of the extremely active 2026 Pacific hurricane season, Simon formed on October 7 from an area of low pressure south of Mexico.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

On October 3, the National Hurricane Center designated a low-pressure area near the coast of Mexico and Guatemala, stating that it had a 90% chance of development in the next seven days. On October 7, the NHC upgraded the disturbance to a tropical depression, designating it as Twenty-E at 15:00 UTC. At 21:00 UTC the same day, as it was moving northwest, the NHC upgraded the depression into Tropical Storm Simon. The system organized and strengthened over the next day before being upgraded to a hurricane at 03:00 UTC on October 9. However the storm started to move very slowly. The storm continued strengthening and was upgraded to a Category 2 by the NHC. The next day, it rapidly intensified into a Category 3, and later Category 4 major hurricane, while starting to speed up a bit. Its rapid intensification period stopped after that, and started to slowly intensify up to its peak at 06:00 UTC the next day. After that it started a gradual weakening period as a result of interacting with rugged terrain. The next day it weakened down to a Category 3 major hurricane, and later that day it weakened further into a Category 2. On October 13, a partial scatterometer pass indicated that Simon’s gale-force maximum wind extent only extended out to 30 nautical miles (35 mi), the NHC noted it as a "very small hurricane" as it maintained intensity.

Preparations

Three tropical cyclones active on October 9: Rachel (left), Simon (bottom), and Isaias (top right)

On October 8, the National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for the Pacific Coast of Mexico from Manzanillo to Punta Mita. Later that day the watches were upgraded to hurricane warnings, with additional tropical storm watches issued around the area. Jalisco Civil Protection ordered all tourist sites to shelter visitors and staff by the afternoon of October 9. The federal Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection declared a special alert for parts of Jalisco and Colima and set up three command centers headed by Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus and Colima Governor Indira Vizcaíno. Plan DN-III-E and Plan Marina were put into effect by the Security Secretariat. The Comisión Federal de Electricidad deployed crews to Guerrero to prepare for response to Simon. Schools were closed in 22 municipalities of Jalisco and across the state of Guerrero. Beaches and ports were shuttered in Armería, Manzanillo, and Tecomán in Colima. The Port of Manzanillo also shut down for the hurricane. All non-essential activities in 10 coastal municipalities of Jalisco were prohibited beginning on the afternoon of October 10. About 100 families from the communities of Yelapa and Quimixto were evacuated by ferry to Puerto Vallarta by the Mexican Navy. About 5,000 people evacuated in Jalisco and Colima combined. In Nayarit, the state government prepared 171 shelters for possible evacuations following recent tidal floods in coastal areas.

Impact

Two people died in total.

Southern Mexico

Guerrero

One person was killed by the hurricane in Chilpancingo after a stone wall collapsed onto a home. In Acapulco, a total of 150 power poles were downed along with several trees, while rockslides and the flooding of 20 houses were also reported. Two injuries occurred in Acapulco. A total of 65,780 customers in Guerrero lost electricity during the storm. An electrical substation in Puerto Marqués was flooded and had to be shut down.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Tropical Weather Outlook". NHC Graphical Outlook Archive. National Hurricane Center. Oct 3, 2026. Retrieved October 11, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Tropical Depression Twenty-E Discussion Number 1". National Hurricane Center. Oct 7, 2026. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  3. ↑ "NHC Graphical Outlook Archive". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  4. ↑ "NWS". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  5. ↑ "Tropical Storm Simon Discussion Number 5". nhc.noaa.gov. 2026-10-08. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  6. ↑ "Hurricane Simon Discussion Number 7". nhc.noaa.gov. 2026-10-08. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  7. ↑ "Hurricane Simon Discussion Number 9". Nhc.noaa.gov. October 9, 2026. Retrieved October 11, 2026.
  8. ↑ https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2026/ep20/ep202026.public.011.shtml
  9. ↑ "Hurricane Simon Intermediate Advisory Number 11A". Nhc.noaa.gov. October 10, 2026. Retrieved October 11, 2026. SIMON BECOMES A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE... PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION...
  10. ↑ https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2026/ep20/ep202026.public_a.015.shtml
  11. ↑ https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2026/ep20/ep202026.public_a.018.shtml
  12. ↑ https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2026/ep20/ep202026.public.021.shtml
  13. ↑ Papin, Philippe (2026-10-13). "Hurricane Simon Discussion Number 26". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  14. ↑ U.S. Mission to Mexico, U.S. Mission to Mexico. "Weather Alert: Tropical Storm Simon, U.S. Embassy Mexico City, U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara on Thursday, October 8, 2026". Mx.usembassy.gov. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
  15. ↑ Ciudad de México: Aviso84-26.pdf Vol. 84
  16. ↑ "Hurricane Simon strengthens to a Category 2 storm, the National Hurricane Center says". Seattletimes.com. Retrieved October 11, 2026.
  17. ↑ Adan Villa (October 8, 2026). "Puerto Vallarta Prepares for Simon as Officials Urge Evacuations in At-Risk Areas". Out and About Puerto Vallarta. Retrieved October 9, 2026.
  18. ↑ Jesús Olmos (October 9, 2026). "Impactará el Huracán Simón este fin de semana los estados de Jalisco y Colima : CNPC" [Hurricane Simon to hit the states of Jalisco and Colima this weekend: CNPC] (in Spanish). Parabolica. Retrieved October 9, 2026.
  19. ↑ Lourdes López (October 9, 2026). "Huracán Simón se intensifica a categoría 2 e Isaías permanece en categoría 3; sigue EN VIVO su trayectoria y efectos" [Hurricane Simon intensifies to category 2 and Isaias remains in category 3; his trajectory and effects continue LIVE] (in Spanish). El Universal. Retrieved October 9, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Suspenderán Actividades No Esenciales en 10 Municipios de Jalisco por Huracán Simon" [Non-Essential Activities will be suspended in 10 Municipalities of Jalisco due to Hurricane Simon] (in Spanish). NMas. October 10, 2026. Retrieved October 10, 2026.
  21. ↑ Lupillo Villaseñor (October 10, 2026). "Zarpa ferry para evacuar a 100 personas de Yelapa y Quimixto por el huracán "Simón"" [Ferry sets sail to evacuate 100 people from Yelapa and Quimixto due to hurricane "Simón"] (in Spanish). Tribuna de la Bahia. Retrieved October 10, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Huracán Simón: evacuaciones en Jalisco y cierre de playas en Colima ante el poder del mar" [Hurricane Simon: evacuations in Jalisco and closure of beaches in Colima due to the power of the sea] (in Spanish). Revista Gente. October 9, 2026. Retrieved October 10, 2026.
  23. ↑ "'Simón' se intensifica a categoría 4: Michoacán y Nayarit en alerta por cercanía del huracán" ['Simon' intensifies to category 4: Michoacán and Nayarit on alert due to proximity of the hurricane] (in Spanish). El Financiero. October 10, 2026. Retrieved October 10, 2026.
  24. ↑ Staff, Al Jazeera. "Two deaths reported as Hurricane Simon, storm Rachel batter Mexico's coast". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-10-14.
  25. ↑ "Muere adulto mayor tras el colapso de un muro en Guerrero por los efectos del huracán "Simón"" [Elderly dies after the collapse of a wall in Guerrero due to the effects of Hurricane "Simon"] (in Spanish). Latinus. October 9, 2026. Retrieved October 10, 2026.
  26. ↑ Fernanda Monroy (October 9, 2026). "Huracán Simon deja sin electricidad a 65 mil usuarios en Guerrero; advierten posible impacto en Jalisco y Colima" [Hurricane Simon leaves 65,000 users without electricity in Guerrero; they warn of a possible impact in Jalisco and Colima] (in Spanish). Contra Línea. Retrieved October 10, 2026.