Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Oct. 8, 2026 — Puerto Vallarta came under a hurricane watch Thursday morning as Tropical Storm Simon strengthened, the National Hurricane Center said.
The 9 a.m. advisory I reviewed for PVDN says Mexico’s government issued the watch from Manzanillo to Punta Mita. Puerto Vallarta falls within that coastal stretch.
Forecasters said tropical storm conditions could begin Saturday, followed by possible hurricane conditions Saturday night. Simon is forecast to reach Category 4 before approaching Mexico’s coast.
Residents should finish preparations by Saturday
“Preparations to protect life and property should be completed by Saturday,” the hurricane center said in its updated forecast discussion.
A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible, the center said. Watches generally precede the anticipated arrival of tropical storm winds by about 48 hours, allowing time for outdoor preparations.
The National Weather Service’s hurricane preparedness guidance advises residents to protect windows and prepare to leave homes in areas exposed to storm surge. Residents should follow evacuation instructions from local officials.
Puerto Vallarta’s government announced that its Civil Protection Technical Committee will meet at 4 p.m. Thursday. The meeting will take place in the conference room at the UMA municipal administrative offices to coordinate preventive measures.
Rain and coastal hazards accompany the wind forecast
At 9 a.m., Simon had sustained winds of 65 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its center was about 380 miles, or 610 kilometers, south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes.
Forecasters expect Simon to become a hurricane later Thursday. Their updated track brings its core toward southwestern and west-central Mexico late Saturday.
The center forecasts 8 to 15 inches of rain across portions of southwestern Mexico through Sunday. Isolated totals of 15 to 25 inches are possible in parts of Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco.
Those regional rainfall projections carry a risk of flooding and mudslides, especially in steep terrain, forecasters said.
The advisory also identifies possible dangerous storm surge near and east of wherever Simon makes landfall. Large waves could accompany that surge. Forecasters expect swells to produce dangerous surf and rip currents along portions of the coast over the coming days.
The new watch adds a coastal alert and wind timeline to the rain and surf risks we reported for Puerto Vallarta.
Emergency crews deploy as drainage repairs continue
Jalisco’s Civil Protection and Fire Department said it deployed nearly 200 personnel to the state’s northern and southern coasts Thursday. The operation includes command posts in Cabo Corrientes, Tomatlán, La Huerta, Talpa de Allende and El Grullo.
The watch arrives while Puerto Vallarta continues repairing infrastructure damaged by earlier storms.
In its Wednesday update, SEAPAL said it installed additional pumping equipment at the Norte I wastewater treatment plant. The utility attributed earlier pump damage to rains from Polo and Rachel.
SEAPAL said the added equipment helped lower sewer levels and reduce overflow risks, particularly in Versalles. Crews also washed and disinfected affected streets.
In Las Glorias, the utility’s preventive drainage work includes clearing drains and preparing additional pumping equipment if needed. SEAPAL said those measures aim to limit accumulated water affecting Avenida Francisco Medina Ascencio and parts of Versalles.
