Simon moves to 260 km from Cabo San Lucas; 25 to 50 mm of rain forecast for La Paz, Los Cabos and Comondú through Sunday
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.
Tropical Storm Simon was located 260 kilometers south of Cabo San Lucas on Friday, October 16, with sustained winds of 65 km/h, gusts of 85 km/h and moving northwest at 15 km/h, the Baja California Sur State Civil Protection Council reported. Although it keeps weakening, it could bring locally heavy rain of 25 to 50 millimeters from Friday through Sunday in La Paz, Los Cabos and part of Comondú.
Closer, but weaker
In Thursday night's report the system was 400 kilometers south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas with 75 km/h winds. In less than a day, Simon moved roughly 140 kilometers closer to the tip of the peninsula while losing strength.
Civil Protection expects it to weaken to a tropical depression on Friday afternoon, at which point it would stop directly affecting the state. That does not rule out rain: the moisture the system carries could still produce downpours over the weekend.
Trudy not expected to hit BCS
The Council is also tracking Hurricane Trudy, a Category 3 storm that will approach the coast of Jalisco over the weekend. According to state authorities, it is not currently forecast to affect Baja California Sur.
What it means for you
Twenty-five to 50 millimeters in a few hours is enough to send water rushing through the arroyos that cross neighborhoods and roads in La Paz, San José del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas and the Santo Domingo valley. Governor Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío asked residents to coordinate with emergency services and rely only on official channels.
- Do not cross flowing arroyos or dips on foot or by car; wait for the water to recede.
- If you live next to a watercourse, keep documents, medicine and water at hand, and find out which temporary shelter your municipal Civil Protection office has designated.
- On the Transpeninsular Highway or the tourist corridor, slow down and avoid flooded stretches.
- In an emergency, call 911.
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.
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.
The cyclone is drifting slowly southwest, but small-craft port closures in La Paz and Los Cabos and the rain and surf watch remain in place.