Hurricane Simon lashed Mexico's coastline on Sunday, 12 October, bringing catastrophic winds and life-threatening storm surge to a popular holiday destination. The Category 4 system tracked parallel to the shore, bearing down on the Puerto Vallarta area, where its most destructive winds and rainfall were forecast to strike around midnight and persist through Monday morning.
Track and intensity
Whether the hurricane will reach land remains uncertain, according to the US National Hurricane Center, which could allow it to retain its formidable intensity, with sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph). By midday Sunday, the eye was moving within about 65 miles (100 kilometres) of Cabo Corrientes at about 7 mph (11 kph).
Phillipe Pappin, a senior hurricane centre specialist, indicated this westernmost point of mainland Mexico is the area most vulnerable to a direct strike from the system.
Expected impacts
"We're expecting catastrophic wind and life-threatening storm surge impacts along that west-central coast of Mexico where the hurricane warning is currently in effect," Pappin said.
"They're also getting very heavy rainfall associated with the storm that's likely going to produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides in areas of higher terrain along the Mexican coastline, and there will be significant swells."
