Hurricane Simon reaches Category 4 as it approaches Mexico

Hurricane Simon strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it approached Mexico's coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said early Saturday that maximum sustained winds had increased to 145 mph (230 kph), according to the Associated Press report carried by ABC News. Reuters also reported that Simon had reached Category 4. The hurricane center expected landfall late Saturday or early Sunday and urged residents to take immediate action to prepare. [ 16 , 17 ]

Tropical storm-strength winds could arrive before landfall, the bulletin said. Simon could bring 10 to 20 inches (25-50 cm) of rainfall to parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas receiving up to 30 inches. Rainfall could be concentrated along Jalisco's coast and in parts of Michoacan, Colima and Nayarit. The hurricane center warned that this rain would produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain. [ 16 ]

Jalisco suspended classes on Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating dozens of people from areas at risk. It also asked the tourism sector in Puerto Vallarta to ensure workers and visitors were accommodated in shelters or safe zones by Friday afternoon. Earlier AP reports carried by The Seattle Times and The Boston Globe said Governor Pablo Lemus urged residents to stay informed because the hurricane had changed direction between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta. [ 7 , 8 , 16 ]

Simon formed as a tropical storm in the Pacific on Wednesday off Mexico's southwestern coast, AP reported, citing the hurricane center. At that point, sustained winds were about 40 mph (65 kph). AP subsequently reported that the storm had become a hurricane, and reports on Friday described it as Category 2 with sustained winds near 100 mph (155 kph). [ 1 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]