Hurricane Simon could bring 25 to 50 millimeters of rain to Baja California Sur
State Civil Protection urges residents to follow official advisories as the slow-moving Category 1 storm sits west of Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco.
Hurricane Simon, a Category 1 storm, could produce 25 to 50 millimeters (about 1 to 2 inches) of accumulated rain in Baja California Sur, with isolated totals of up to 75 mm, the State Civil Protection Council said in its advisory on Tuesday, October 13. The agency asked residents to follow the storm's progress through official channels.
According to the report, based on data from Mexico's National Civil Protection Coordination, the center of the hurricane was about 190 kilometers west of Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco. It had maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h (93 mph) and gusts of 185 km/h (115 mph).
The system was moving west, on a 260-degree heading, at just 4 km/h. A storm moving that slowly can linger off the coast for days, so its track and impacts may shift from one advisory to the next.
What it means for BCS
The state advisory does not say which municipalities would get the most rain, nor does it issue guidance on surf or temporary shelters. Even so, 25 to 50 mm is enough to send water rushing through the arroyos (dry washes) in La Paz, Los Cabos and Comondú, and to flood streets that usually pool.
Mexico's National Weather Service (SMN) also reported, between October 13 and 14, the formation of Tropical Depression Twenty-One-E in the southern Mexican Pacific, which later strengthened into Tropical Storm Trudy. That makes two active systems in the same basin during the final stretch of the hurricane season, which ends November 30.
What to do
- Do not cross flowing arroyos or low-water crossings, on foot or by car; the current can sweep away vehicles even when the water looks shallow.
- Check roofs, gutters and drains, and secure loose objects the wind could pick up.
- Keep bottled water, a flashlight, batteries, medicine and documents in a waterproof bag.
- Rely only on advisories from BCS Civil Protection and the SMN; avoid sharing unofficial forecast tracks.
The advisory comes days after Hurricane Rachel forced school closures in Los Cabos; classes resumed on Monday, October 5.
Related
Public Services crews are clearing the San José Viejo ford and the City Club area; municipal Civil Protection is monitoring possible rain on Monday, Oct. 19, and Tuesday, Oct. 20.
The State Civil Protection Council expects the tropical storm to weaken to a depression Friday afternoon; Hurricane Trudy is not expected to affect Baja California Sur.
State Civil Protection expects the system to decay into a tropical depression and remnant low between Friday and Sunday; only the port of La Paz remains open.
The tropical storm has weakened slightly; no watches or warnings are in effect for Baja California Sur, but rain and high surf are still forecast through Saturday.