Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Oct. 9, 2026 — Authorities called for preventive evacuations Friday in vulnerable areas of Puerto Vallarta, suspended classes and prepared shelters as Hurricane Simon approached.
Sergio Ramírez López, Jalisco’s civil protection chief, told tourism businesses to shelter guests and employees by Friday afternoon. His instructions focus on properties exposed to flooding, landslides or storm surge.
Simon became a Category 1 hurricane Thursday night, when Puerto Vallarta was placed under a hurricane warning. The National Hurricane Center’s warning zone extends from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita.
Friday’s evacuation deadline targets vulnerable properties
The evacuation request applies to hotels, homes and developments that municipal or state authorities previously notified about specific hazards. Officials said it was not a blanket evacuation of Puerto Vallarta. The targeted areas include flood-prone settlements, unstable hillsides and properties exposed to storm surge.
Ramírez told tourism operators Thursday to carry out preventive evacuations wherever their internal civil protection plans identified risks.
“By the afternoon and evening, there should be no staff, guests or visitors in at-risk areas,” he said.
For affected residents and hotel workers, the instruction means reaching a designated safe area or temporary shelter by Friday afternoon. Ramírez asked businesses to account for employees and guests.
Authorities also said they would coordinate with the armed forces to protect properties left vacant during evacuations.
Schools suspend classes Friday and Monday
Jalisco’s Education Secretariat suspended in-person classes Friday, Oct. 9, and Monday, Oct. 12, in 22 municipalities, including Puerto Vallarta. The order covers both shifts and all educational levels under the agency’s jurisdiction.
The affected municipalities also include Cabo Corrientes, Tomatlán, Mascota, San Sebastián del Oeste and Talpa de Allende.
We checked the University of Guadalajara’s announcement, which also includes the weekend. In-person activities are suspended Friday through Monday at affected university centers, high schools, and teaching sites.
That includes CUCosta, whose campus is at 203 Avenida Universidad in Ixtapa. Its earlier campus notice listed Friday and Saturday; the university-wide announcement extends the suspension through Monday.
Sixteen shelters prepared under the municipal DIF
Puerto Vallarta’s Municipal Civil Protection Council said 16 temporary shelters have been prepared under the municipal DIF, the family welfare agency. State DIF is supporting the operation, and officials said food and other supplies have been reserved.
Prepared shelters, however, are not necessarily open shelters.
The state’s shelter guidance says designated buildings become available when authorities activate them and begin admitting people. Residents should follow Civil Protection’s opening announcements rather than assume every listed facility is receiving evacuees.
The state notice includes a map of identified shelter locations. These can include schools, auditoriums, public buildings and hotels, depending on the municipality.
Civil Protection advises families directed to shelters to bring essential documents, medications and personal items. Preparations should account for children, older adults, people with disabilities and pets.
Rivers monitored and red flags posted at beaches
Local authorities are monitoring flood-prone areas along the Cuale, Pitillal and Ameca rivers, according to the municipal council.
Misael López Muro, Puerto Vallarta’s civil protection and fire chief, said all beaches in the municipality have red flags. He urged residents and visitors to stay out of the water and avoid approaching the sea.
Jalisco’s Friday alert bulletin placed Puerto Vallarta and 21 other municipalities under a yellow, medium-danger alert. It forecast 100 to 150 millimeters of rain across western and southern Jalisco, roughly 4 to 6 inches.
The same bulletin forecast waves of 5 to 8 meters along Jalisco’s coast, about 16 to 26 feet. Those are regional figures, not separate forecasts for individual beaches inside Banderas Bay.
State civil protection’s hurricane safety guidance also advises people to avoid waterfront boardwalks, river mouths and flooded crossings. It warns against unnecessary travel on roads exposed to landslides.
Emergency reinforcements and Army patrols
Jalisco began deploying nearly 200 additional civil protection officers Thursday morning. The state agency said the reinforcements serve both the northern and southern coasts, not just Puerto Vallarta.
Officials established area commands in Puerto Vallarta and Cihuatlán, with statewide coordination in Guadalajara.
Additional command posts cover Cabo Corrientes, Tomatlán, La Huerta, Talpa de Allende and El Grullo, according to the state deployment announcement.
Puerto Vallarta’s 41st Military Zone also activated Plan DN-III-E, the Army’s disaster-response plan. The operation includes river and stream patrols, road checks, and monitoring of vulnerable communities.
Military personnel are using loudspeakers to broadcast safety instructions and information about evacuation routes and shelters, according to deployment reports.
Elsewhere on Jalisco’s coast, Civil Protection reported 80 people evacuated from El Rebalse, in Cihuatlán, on Thursday. Seventy left independently, while authorities transferred 10 to the Casa Ejidal shelter.
Power crews arrive as travelers receive warnings
CFE crews and vehicles began arriving in Puerto Vallarta around 4 p.m. Thursday, according to local reporting.
Some units remained in the city, while others continued toward Jalisco’s southern coast. The crews are positioning to repair electrical infrastructure damaged by the storm.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and U.S. Consulate General in Guadalajara issued a weather alert Thursday. They urged Americans to monitor flight status, road conditions and Mexican authorities’ instructions.
“Follow directions from local officials,” the alert said.
The embassy also advised travelers to prepare an evacuation plan that does not depend on U.S. government assistance. It asked Americans to keep friends and family informed about their whereabouts and safety.
Households stock up and prepare emergency bags
Thursday saw increased shopping at Puerto Vallarta stores, including businesses selling pet supplies, ahead of the storm.
State civil protection recommends preparing an emergency bag with drinking water, nonperishable food, personal medications, a flashlight, a radio and spare batteries. Its checklist also includes cash, keys, a charged power bank and important documents in a waterproof bag.
Families should adapt supplies for children, older adults and people with disabilities, the agency advises. That can mean diapers, formula, glasses, mobility aids or medications taken regularly.
Pet owners should prepare food and other essentials for their animals as part of the household’s emergency arrangements.
Under state evacuation guidance, residents should follow official routes and return home only when authorities permit it. For emergencies, call 911.
