Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Oct. 2, 2026 — Authorities kept beaches and the Malecón closed Friday as Hurricane Rachel’s surf continued.
Municipal Civil Protection and Fire Department officials said all beaches remained closed and access to Centro remained restricted. According to the municipal update, waves had deposited rocks on roads, creating hazards for traffic.
The morning coastal safety report also confirmed that small-boat navigation was suspended. Authorities prohibited beach activities and maintained red flags along the shoreline.
Downtown travel faces diversions
Municipal Civil Protection Director Misael López Muro said waves carried rocks onto Morelos and Paseo Díaz Ordaz, putting pedestrians and motorists at risk.
Thursday’s account of the restrictions placed the cordon on Morelos between the lighthouse and City Hall. It also described businesses on Malecón II protecting entrances with sandbags and reinforcing windows.
A Friday report on the traffic diversions placed the bus diversion at Jesús Langarica. It identified Morelos, Corona, Juárez and Guerrero as alternative routes for private vehicles traveling through Centro.
Those streets were also part of the beach closure and downtown traffic changes we covered Thursday. Friday’s municipal update urged drivers to use alternate routes while the restrictions remained in force.
Small-boat suspension extends beyond Vallarta
The regional harbor master’s navigation closure took effect at 4 p.m. Sept. 30, covering its jurisdiction in Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes and Tomatlán.
The order suspended navigation by small vessels because of conditions associated with Rachel. Friday’s coastal safety report continued to list that suspension among the restrictions.
Federal forecast warns of continued coastal surf
We reviewed the National Meteorological Service’s 6 a.m. Friday forecast, which predicted waves of 3 to 5 meters along the Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa coasts.
The agency said Rachel would move west-northwest, “gradually moving away from national coasts,” while continuing to generate elevated surf.
The bulletin assigns its wave forecasts to state coastlines. Its higher range of 5 to 6 meters applies to Baja California Sur.
Crews protect coastal drainage
The municipal government also announced work to protect storm-drain openings along the coast. SEAPAL Vallarta, Public Works, and state and municipal Civil Protection crews coordinated the work.
In that announcement, authorities urged residents and visitors to avoid breaking waves, breakwaters, and piers, and follow official Civil Protection notices.
