Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Oct. 10, 2026 — Federal and state authorities urged Puerto Vallarta residents to take shelter by 4 p.m. Saturday as Category 4 Hurricane Simón approaches the Jalisco coast.
Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus announced the suspension of nonessential public activities beginning at 4 p.m. in eight priority municipalities, including Puerto Vallarta.
Residents in flood-prone areas or homes vulnerable to landslides were instructed to evacuate before the deadline. Those in safe locations should remain indoors.
Puerto Vallarta Residents Asked to End Activities by 4 p.m.
The latest emergency guidance issued Saturday morning reinforced the 4 p.m. shelter recommendation as Hurricane Simón continued moving toward western Mexico.
The measures affect Puerto Vallarta and several neighboring municipalities, including Cabo Corrientes, Tomatlán, La Huerta, Cihuatlán and Villa Purificación.
During a Friday announcement outlining the restrictions, Lemus asked residents to stop public activities by late Saturday afternoon.
“Please stay in your homes or in the shelters we have designated,” the governor said.
The instruction applies to residents, visitors, and businesses across the affected municipalities. Authorities have called for the suspension of nonessential commercial, recreational, and public activities.
The measure is intended to reduce travel before hurricane conditions make roads and outdoor movement dangerous.
For residents, that means completing essential errands and returning to a safe location before 4 p.m. Those who need emergency shelter should relocate before conditions deteriorate.
The shelter recommendation is not a blanket evacuation of Puerto Vallarta. Authorities are directing evacuations toward neighborhoods and properties considered vulnerable to flooding, landslides or coastal hazards.
Public Transportation and Local Services Face Suspension
The 4 p.m. shelter guidance comes as Puerto Vallarta prepares to suspend several public services.
Public transportation operator Unibus announced that city bus services will stop at 5 p.m. Saturday.
That cutoff is one hour later than the state’s recommended time for ending nonessential public activities.
The bus company said service would resume only when conditions allow and authorities approve operations.
Municipal garbage collection is also scheduled to stop at 7 p.m. Saturday, with service expected to resume Monday morning, Oct. 12, according to local service suspension reports.
Residents have been asked not to leave garbage outdoors during the suspension because storm runoff can carry waste into drainage systems.
Hotels and tourism businesses have also been instructed to prepare safe areas for guests and employees. Visitors should follow the shelter procedures established by their accommodations.
Five Emergency Shelters Activated in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta’s municipal government and DIF activated five emergency shelters Friday for families requiring evacuation.
The initial locations include the Salón Ejidal on Benito Juárez in Ixtapa, the UNIVA campus in Villas Universidad and CECyTEJ on Corea del Sur in El Mangal.
Additional shelters were established in Loma Bonita and El Colorado. The UNIVA location has been designated to accommodate residents with pets.
Municipal officials have identified 16 possible shelter locations, but activation depends on demand and Civil Protection instructions.
Residents seeking shelter locations, emergency contacts or evacuation assistance can consult PVDN’s Puerto Vallarta evacuation guide and shelter information.
Authorities have emphasized that people whose homes are unsafe should evacuate rather than remain indoors simply because the general recommendation is to shelter at home.
Hurricane Simón Maintains Category 4 Strength
According to the National Hurricane Center’s 9 a.m. Saturday advisory, Hurricane Simón had maximum sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour, equivalent to 150 mph.
Its center was approximately 185 kilometers south-southwest of Manzanillo, Colima, and 345 kilometers south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco.
The hurricane was moving north at approximately 6 kilometers per hour.
Forecasters expect the storm to approach or move inland along Mexico’s west-central Pacific coast on Sunday, Oct. 11.
Mexican authorities have identified the coastal area between La Huerta and Tomatlán as a possible landfall zone.
That forecast does not establish that the hurricane’s center will strike Puerto Vallarta directly. However, the city remains within the hurricane warning area.
In our review of the latest federal hurricane advisory, the principal dangers include destructive winds, heavy rainfall, coastal flooding and landslides.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts widespread rainfall totals of 250 to 500 millimeters across portions of the affected region, with higher amounts possible in isolated areas. Those figures are regional forecasts, not specific rainfall predictions for downtown Puerto Vallarta.
Rivers, Coastal Areas and Hillsides Require Precautions
Heavy rainfall is a concern for communities near the Cuale, Pitillal and Ameca rivers, as well as neighborhoods with drainage problems.
Residents near rivers and streams should avoid crossing flooded roads or driving through moving water.
Landslides may also affect hillside communities, where prolonged rainfall can destabilize slopes.
Coastal residents and visitors should remain away from beaches, the Malecón and exposed waterfront areas during dangerous surf conditions.
Federal authorities have activated the military’s DN-III-E emergency response plan and the Mexican Navy’s Plan Marina.
Civil Protection personnel, the National Guard and municipal emergency services are also participating in evacuation preparations and emergency response operations.
The federal government has urged residents to follow evacuation orders where issued and remain sheltered during the period of greatest risk.
The 4 p.m. recommendation is a precautionary measure intended to have residents and visitors in protected locations before the storm’s most dangerous conditions reach the coast.
