Hurricane Simon Brings Strong Winds and Flooding to Western Mexico, Leaving Five Dead

Hurricane Simon continued its slow trek up the west-central coast of Mexico on Tuesday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to coastal towns and resorts. The storm, with sustained winds of 90 mph, remained a Category 1 system, though the U.S. National Hurricane Center classified it as a small tropical cyclone. Simon was located about 105 miles west of Cabo Corrientes and was moving northwest at roughly 2 mph.

Forecasters expect the storm’s intensity to vary over the next few days but anticipate that it will retain hurricane strength through mid-week. Hurricane-force winds extended up to 10 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reached out about 45 miles.

The Mexican weather service warned that up to three inches of rain could fall in Baja California Sur, Nayarit and Sinaloa by Friday, raising the risk of flash flooding. Moisture from Simon also posed a flood threat to parts of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, where rainfall could total six to eight inches, according to CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan.

In Baja California, floodwaters swept away vehicles and damaged homes in Ensenada, where rescuers recovered four bodies and several people remain missing. The Mexican military used helicopters to evacuate 32 individuals, including 22 foreigners, from a ranch in the area. Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila reported that about 14,000 federal and state personnel had been deployed across the state to assist residents.

Further south, the storm knocked down trees, downed power lines and flooded homes in Guerrero, including the port city of Acapulco. Governor Evelyn Salgado said a 71-year-old man died after a wall collapsed in the state capital, Chilpancingo.

In Puerto Vallarta, businesses began reopening as rains eased, though the international airport remained closed until Tuesday morning. "Personally, I think we should remain on alert because we don't really know whether it will arrive, move elsewhere or dissipate," said tourism agency worker Noelia Carrillo.

In the United States, a separate post-tropical cyclone, Rachel, generated large waves along Southern California, damaging a boardwalk in Long Beach. Las Vegas recorded an October daily rainfall record of 1.08 inches, prompting flood advisories that were largely lifted by Monday. Additional rainfall from a different system is expected to end by Wednesday.

Power restoration continues after Hurricane Isaias struck the Southeast, where at least four deaths have been linked to that storm.