A powerful hurricane named Simon is advancing towards Mexico’s Pacific coast, with forecasts indicating a significant increase in strength. U.S. weather experts have issued a hurricane warning for regions along the central and southwest coast, anticipating the arrival of hurricane-force winds within 36 hours. As of early Friday, Simon boasted maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h and was moving in a northwest direction at a speed of seven km/h, as reported by the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Categorized as a Category 1 hurricane, Simon is projected to veer northward by early Saturday and make its way to the coastline. It is expected to rapidly intensify, potentially reaching Category 4 status before making landfall. Category 4 hurricanes, according to the Saffir-Simpson scale, exhibit maximum sustained winds ranging from 210 to 250 km/h. Currently, Simon is located approximately 355 kilometers south of Manzanillo and 525 kilometers south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes.
There is a possibility of tropical storm conditions developing along the coast later in the day. Simon is likely to bring heavy rainfall, leading to potential flooding and mudslides. U.S. forecasters have warned of rainfall amounts ranging from 20 to 38 centimeters in southwestern Mexico, with isolated regions possibly receiving up to 63 centimeters of rain.
In other tropical storm developments, Tropical Storm Rachel is anticipated to impact Baja California, northwestern Mexico, and Southern California over the upcoming weekend. With winds reaching 95 km/h, Rachel is predicted to weaken, although it could bring substantial rainfall to the area. The Pacific region has experienced above-average tropical storm activity this season, attributed to the influence of a robust El Niño phenomenon.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Isaias, which was forecasted to strike the U.S. Gulf Coast by late Friday or Saturday, emerged more than four months into the Atlantic hurricane season, as the climate pattern typically suppresses storm activity in the Atlantic.
The ongoing Pacific hurricane season continues to be closely monitored as weather systems evolve and impact various regions.