Hurricane Simon weakens to Category 2 off Mexico’s Pacific coast

Hurricane Simon weakened to Category 2 off Mexico‘s Pacific coast on Monday, as authorities warned of flooding, landslides and dangerous waves along the coastline.

The storm’s center was located 90 kilometers (56 miles) west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, on the Pacific coast of the western state of Jalisco, and 345 kilometers (214 miles) south of Mazatlan, a coastal city in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, at 9 am local time (1500GMT), Mexico’s National Civil Protection Coordination said in a post on US social media company X.

Rainfall could trigger flooding and landslides, while strong winds could bring down trees and utility poles, the agency warned.

High waves could also push seawater into low-lying coastal areas.

Authorities urged residents in Jalisco, as well as neighboring Nayarit and Sinaloa, to avoid beaches, breakwaters and areas with high waves.

They also advised people not to cross flooded streets, streams or currents and to follow official warnings about heavy rainfall, strong winds and dangerous sea conditions.

Although Simon weakened to Category 2, authorities continued to warn of potential hazards from heavy rainfall, strong winds and high waves along Mexico’s Pacific coast.

The storm’s weakening does not necessarily mean that the risks have subsided, as tropical cyclones can continue to cause flooding and dangerous coastal conditions even after their intensity decreases.