Hurricane Simon strengthens into Category 4 storm as it takes aim at Mexico’s Pacific coast

October 10, 2026 / 11:28 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Simon has strengthened into a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it barrels toward Mexico's Pacific coast.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Saturday that Simon's maximum sustained winds increased to 155 miles per hour.

The hurricane center said it expects Simon to approach Mexico's west-central coast on Sunday as a major hurricane, which is defined as a Category 3 storm or stronger, with winds of at least 111 mph.

Simon on Saturday night was just below a Category 5 classification, which requires maximum sustained winds of 157 mph. Forecasters said that Simon could weaken rapidly if its core moves fully onshore once it makes landfall.

The hurricane could bring as much as 10 to 20 inches of rain over parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas in the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco receiving up to 30 inches.

"This rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain," the center warned in a bulletin that also urged residents to take immediate action to prepare as tropical storm conditions arrived Saturday afternoon.

According to the hurricane center, Simon was about 65 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/world/