Hurricane Simon has been identified as a category 4 storm off the Pacific coast of Mexico, exhibiting sustained winds of up to 250 kilometers (155 miles) per hour as of October 11, 2026. The storm’s eye was located approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) offshore between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta, according to data from the Suomi NPP satellite.
Storm Impact and Observations
By the time the satellite captured the images, Hurricane Simon’s sustained winds had decreased to around 210 kilometers (130 miles) per hour. The National Hurricane Center noted that the storm’s inner core was brushing against the coastline, with the Sierra Madre mountains likely moderating its intensity and reducing the wind field’s size. However, the storm still caused heavy rainfall and flooding in coastal areas, including Manzanillo, and increased the risk of mudslides in nearby mountainous regions.
In addition to its surface effects, atmospheric gravity waves generated by Simon were visible in a nighttime image taken by the NOAA-21 satellite. These waves occur when latent heat from the storm’s eyewall fuels strong convection, leading to tall cumulonimbus clouds that can produce ripples in the stratosphere and mesosphere. The VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) captured these waves, which are typically faint and can be obscured by atmospheric conditions like moonlight.
Forecasts and Future Path
As of the morning of October 13, meteorological forecasts regarding Simon’s intensity and trajectory were described as having “very low confidence.” The storm’s behavior has been unpredictable, with potential paths suggesting it could move northward and enter the Gulf of California before making landfall. Forecasters anticipate that large swells may create hazardous conditions along parts of Mexico’s southwestern and west-central coasts in the days ahead.
The information presented is derived from NASA Earth Observatory imagery and analysis, with contributions from various satellite data sources.
Source: NASA
