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Simon had maximum sustained winds of 145 kph (90 mph) early
Friday and was moving northwest at 7 kph (5 mph), the U.S.
National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
The Category 1 hurricane was forecast to turn to the north by
early Saturday and approach the coast. Simon was expected to
intensify rapidly and become a Category 4 storm before landfall.
Category 4 hurricanes on the Saffir-Simpson scale have maximum
sustained winds of 210-250 kph (130-156 mph).
Simon was centered about 355 kilometers (220 miles) south of
Manzanillo and 525 kilometers (325 miles) south-southeast of
Cabo Corrientes.
Tropical storm conditions were possible along the coast later
Friday.
Simon was expected to produce torrential rainfall that could
cause flooding and mudslides. U.S. forecasters said 20 to 38
centimeters (8 to 15 inches) of rain could fall in southwestern
Mexico, with isolated areas getting up to 63 centimeters (25
inches).
Farther north, Tropical Storm Rachel was expected to reach Baja
California, northwestern Mexico and Southern California this
weekend. It had 95 kph (60 mph) winds and was forecast to
weaken, though it may bring heavy rain to the area.
Tropical storm activity has been above average this season in
the Pacific, due to the effects of a strong El Niño.
The climate phenomenon typically depresses storm activity in the
Atlantic. Hurricane Isaias, which was expected to hit the U.S.
Gulf Coast late Friday or Saturday, developed more than four
months into the Atlantic hurricane season.
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