UPDATED OCTOBER 13: Hurricane Simon weakened to Category 1 and was moving only about 6 km/h off Mexico’s west-central coast early Tuesday, shifting the main concern from Puerto Vallarta toward Las Islas Marías and Sinaloa. The original publication date and article address are retained.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center’s 5 a.m. Mountain time intermediate advisory placed the compact storm about 155 kilometres west of Cabo Corrientes and 320 kilometres south-southwest of Mazatlán. Maximum sustained winds were 90 mph, or 150 km/h, and the centre was drifting west-northwest.

Warnings shift north toward Sinaloa

A hurricane warning remained in effect for Las Islas Marías. A hurricane watch covered the coast north of Escuinapa to Bahía Tempehuaya, meaning hurricane conditions were possible as Simon’s slow and uncertain track brought the system closer to Sinaloa.

The NHC said Simon remained unusually small, with hurricane-force winds confined close to its centre. That compact structure limits the area of the strongest wind, but it also makes short-term intensity changes harder to measure.

Reuters reported that Simon was expected to turn northeast and move inland across west-central Mexico around midweek. Its Tuesday report also noted that the storm could stall and fail to make a conventional landfall while still producing dangerous rain.

Slow movement raises flood risk

Simon is far weaker than its Category 4 peak, but its slow speed extends the period of rain along the coast and nearby mountains. The NHC warned that rainfall totals could reach 15 inches in parts of Sinaloa by Thursday, creating a risk of life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

The centre had not made landfall as of the 5 a.m. advisory. Residents should therefore rely on current official warnings rather than treating the drop in wind speed as an all-clear.

Canada advises against non-essential travel

The Government of Canada updated its Mexico travel advice on October 12 to advise against non-essential travel along the west-central coast from Punta San Telmo to Bahía Tempehuaya, including Las Islas Marías, because of Hurricane Simon.

Canadians in the affected region should follow local authorities, monitor transportation and accommodation changes, and be prepared for interruptions to power, water, roads and flights. The broader Mexico advisory continues to recommend a high degree of caution.

What changed

The previous edition recorded Simon as a Category 3 hurricane with 125-mph winds south of Cabo Corrientes. This update records the further weakening to Category 1 at 90 mph, the very slow west-northwest motion, the northward shift in watches toward Sinaloa and Canada’s hurricane-specific avoid-non-essential-travel advisory. The original ID, publication date, URL and lead image are unchanged.

Sources: U.S. National Hurricane Center advisory 24, issued October 13 at 2 a.m. Mountain time; NHC intermediate advisory 24A, issued October 13 at 5 a.m. Mountain time; NHC forecast discussion 24; Reuters, published October 13 at 9:16 a.m. Eastern; Government of Canada travel advice for Mexico, updated October 12.

Lead image: GOES-19 GeoColor satellite view of Hurricane Simon south of Mexico at 00:10 UTC on October 10, 2026, via CIRA/NOAA. The image predates Simon’s Category 4 peak.