Hurricane Simon formed on Friday off Mexico’s Pacific coast, bringing further heavy rain and strong swells to Baja California, which was battered by heavy rains last month.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Simon was about 280 miles (445 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, which suffered record damage from hurricane Odile in September.
Simon, with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 kph), was moving toward the west-northwest and expected to continue in that direction before weakening and turning away from the coast on Saturday night or Sunday.
While Simon is currently tracking to the west away from mainland Mexico, residents should not let their guard down. That includes those living or planning to visit Baja California next week.
Downpours associated with Simon will continue to stream onto southwestern mainland Mexico Friday, soaking the states of western Jalisco, Nayarit and southern Sinaloa. At the same time, rough surf will create hazards for beachgoers and operators of small craft.
