Simon Exploded From Category 1 to Category 4 in Just 24 Hours

Hurricane Simon is roaring up the western coast of Mexico, unleashing destructive winds and life-threatening flooding over the next few days. Forecasters are now putting parts of the central U.S. on alert for a surge of tropical moisture as what is left of Simon is pulled up in this direction by a dip in the jet stream. Here is a look at what to expect this week in this corner of the world as the exceptionally busy Eastern Pacific hurricane season marches on.

Latest on Hurricane Simon

There is no rest for storm-weary western Mexico. Yet another tropical weather event is taking aim at the region as Hurricane Simon spins in the Eastern Pacific. As of late Monday, Simon was a Category 2 hurricane packing maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. Simon is taking its time, crawling along at a speed of just 3 mph to the west-northwest.

This zone of the Eastern Pacific continues to see historically warm ocean waters pairing with low wind shear, supporting the development of a continual parade of tropical weather events in recent weeks. Simon exploded from a Category 1 storm with winds of 90 mph to a Category 4 monster with 150-mph winds in a period of only 24 hours last week.

While the storm has since weakened, it is still packing enough power to deliver life-threatening conditions to those in its path. The compact center of Simon is making it more challenging for forecasters at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to predict where it will track in the coming days.

What the NHC is certain of is that Simon will lose organization and strength quickly once it moves over the rugged terrain of Mexico. Until then, heavy rain will dump over western Mexico as the storm runs nearly parallel for some time. The latest forecast models are predicting general rain totals of 1 to 2 inches in a zone from western Guerrero through Chihuahua.

Higher totals of 4 to 8 inches are likely in a more concentrated area of far western Guerrero into the central portions of Durango. The hillside region near the coast could see rain of 18 to 24 inches, creating the concern of flash flooding, washouts, and mudslides at the higher elevations.

Local officials are warning residents and tourists that rapidly rising floodwaters could make travel treacherous as roads and bridges are washed out. This threat is the greatest in the mountainous regions.

The tropical storm-force winds coming along for the ride will spread to the north and the east as Simon continues its track inland. Wind gusts as high as 40 to 60 mph are forecast to spread over western Jalisco and Michoacán, Sinaloa, Durango, and into Chihuahua. These winds will be capable of creating widespread power outages and significant damage to homes and businesses. Lastly, the potent onshore winds will generate life-threatening storm surge near the center of the storm.