Puerto Vallarta Hurricane Watch Lifted as Simon Stalls
MEXICO · WEATHER
Key Facts
- —What is happening Puerto Vallarta was no longer under any storm watch on Wednesday, 14 October, as Hurricane Simon stalled about 260 km (165 miles) off Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco.
- —Why it matters The resort reopened its airport to commercial flights on Tuesday, but Simon remains a hurricane offshore and forecasters expect it to turn north by Friday.
- —The numbers Simon had winds of 150 km/h (90 mph), a Category 1 hurricane, after briefly reaching 175 km/h (110 mph) overnight, and was drifting southwest at 4 km/h (2 mph).
- —Who is who The US National Hurricane Center in Miami tracks Pacific storms, while Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, listed in New York as PAC, runs the Puerto Vallarta airport.
- —What to watch Whether Simon turns back toward land late this week, and whether Tropical Storm Trudy prompts new watches for west-central Mexico on Wednesday.
- —Prediction markets Polymarket gives a 97.5% chance that Simon’s peak is recorded as Category 4, with about US$17,590 traded (14 October, 11:10 a.m. ET).
- —Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 71.4 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you US travellers can fly to Puerto Vallarta again, but should check their airline before leaving and expect rough surf and closed beaches while Simon lingers offshore.
Simon has stalled far off Jalisco and no watches remain for Mexico. A new storm is strengthening to the south.
The Puerto Vallarta hurricane threat has eased, with the Mexican resort no longer under any storm watch on Wednesday, 14 October. Hurricane Simon stalled about 260 km (165 miles) west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, the cape at the south end of Banderas Bay.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) listed no coastal watches or warnings for Mexico on Wednesday morning. Our report on Storm Simón nearing Puerto Vallarta covered the storm’s approach a week ago.
On Tuesday a tropical storm watch still covered the coast from Cabo Corrientes to Escuinapa, including Puerto Vallarta. Simon briefly grew stronger overnight, though, and the NHC expects it to turn north by Friday.
Puerto Vallarta Hurricane Watch No Longer in Force
The NHC’s Advisory 29 came at 8 a.m. Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, 15:00 UTC. It placed Simon at 19.7 degrees north and 108.1 degrees west, about 400 km (250 miles) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas.
Mexico’s government discontinued the hurricane watch for the Islas Marías, an island group far offshore, leaving no coastal watches or warnings. On Tuesday morning the NHC had a hurricane warning for those islands and a tropical storm watch on the mainland.
Simon was drifting southwest at about 4 km/h (2 mph), away from the coast. The NHC described it as a very small hurricane, with hurricane-force winds only about 20 km (10 miles) from its centre.
Simon Eases Back to Category 1
Simon reached about 175 km/h (110 mph) late on Tuesday, a Category 2 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. By Wednesday morning its winds had eased to near 150 km/h (90 mph), back to Category 1.
The NHC expects slow, erratic motion, then a turn north or north-northwest by Friday, followed by weakening into the weekend. It said watches or warnings may be needed for parts of Baja California Sur over the next day or two.
Airport, Schools and the City
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), the airport operator listed in New York as PAC, cleared commercial flights from Tuesday, 13 October. The airport had closed on Saturday evening, 10 October, as our update for travellers reported.
Jalisco’s education department (SEJ) said classes would resume on Tuesday in 22 coastal municipalities, including Puerto Vallarta, Crónica Jalisco reported. Classes there had been suspended from Friday through Monday, a wire report carried by KPBS said.
On Monday the rain had stopped in Puerto Vallarta and residents were gradually resuming normal activities, the same report said. UnoTV, a national news site, reported no victims or river overflows in the city on Monday morning.
The Navy activated its emergency plan, Plan Marina, while the Army applied its civil-aid plan DN-III-E, UnoTV reported. Civil protection staff closed businesses in the tourist zone that had reopened without permission.
A New Storm Forms to the South
Tropical Storm Trudy was about 600 km (375 miles) south of Acapulco on Wednesday morning, with winds near 95 km/h (60 mph). The NHC forecasts rapid strengthening, to a hurricane on Wednesday night and a major hurricane on Friday.
The NHC said watches will likely be needed on Wednesday or Wednesday night for parts of south-western and west-central Mexico. Trudy could approach the coast of south-western Mexico on Saturday, so Puerto Vallarta travellers should keep checking forecasts.
What It Means for US Readers
Flights from US cities resumed on Tuesday, but each airline sets its own schedule. Delta’s Hurricane Simon waiver lets eligible passengers rebook at no extra cost if they fly on or before Thursday, 15 October.
The US Consulate General in Guadalajara handles services for US citizens in Jalisco. GAP’s October traffic figures, published monthly, will show how much the closure cost the NYSE-listed operator.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, bets on “How strong will Simon be?” gave a 97.5% chance that its peak is recorded as Category 4. About US$17,590 had been traded when checked at 11:10 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Is Not Known
Jalisco’s civil protection unit and the city government have not published a damage count for Puerto Vallarta. GAP has not published how many flights have operated since the airport reopened.
It is not known where Simon will go after it turns north, or whether it will threaten land again. Trudy’s track and any new watches for the Jalisco coast are also still open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a hurricane warning for Puerto Vallarta?
No, the NHC listed no coastal watches or warnings for Mexico on Wednesday morning. A tropical storm watch that included Puerto Vallarta was no longer listed.
Is the Puerto Vallarta airport open?
Yes, GAP cleared commercial flights from Tuesday, 13 October. Each airline sets its own schedule, so travellers should check their carrier before leaving.
Where is Hurricane Simon now?
Simon was about 260 km (165 miles) west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, drifting southwest at 4 km/h (2 mph). It had winds of about 150 km/h (90 mph), a Category 1 hurricane.
Could another storm hit Puerto Vallarta?
Tropical Storm Trudy is forecast to become a major hurricane by Friday. The NHC expects watches for parts of south-western and west-central Mexico on Wednesday or Wednesday night.
Sources: US National Hurricane Center, eastern Pacific advisories feed (Simon Advisory 29, Trudy Advisory 5); The Rio Times, Puerto Vallarta update of 13 October; Crónica Jalisco (SEJ classes); UnoTV (Puerto Vallarta on 12 October); KPBS (wire report, 12 October); Polymarket (all accessed 14 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
Living in or visiting Puerto Vallarta? See our Puerto Vallarta city guide with rents, safety and upcoming concerts.