October 12, 2026 — Hurricane Simon is crawling up Mexico’s Pacific coast just offshore, and Mexico’s Navy has closed nine ports, including the cruise ports of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo. Forecasters now expect the storm to turn inland toward Sinaloa, the state that includes Mazatlán, around Wednesday or Thursday.
Update: yesterday’s story had Simon as a Category 4 storm at the coast and the Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo airports closed. Since then the Navy has formally closed nine ports, Simon has weakened to Category 3 while moving slowly parallel to the Jalisco coast, and the forecast track now points at Sinaloa midweek.
Where things stand
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Strength and position | Category 3, 115 mph sustained winds; eye about 50 miles southwest of Cabo Corrientes at the 2 a.m. MST advisory on Monday, October 12 |
| Movement | Northwest at 5 mph, roughly parallel to the Jalisco coast |
| Forecast | Northwest into early Tuesday, then a turn northeast across west-central Mexico around midweek; Mexico’s weather service points to Sinaloa on Wednesday or Thursday, possibly as a tropical storm or post-tropical system |
| Hurricane warning | Playa Pérula to El Roblito |
| Hurricane watch | North to Bahía Tempehuaya, Sinaloa |
| Rain | A further 8 to 16 inches along the Jalisco and Nayarit coast through early Thursday |
| Ports closed by the Navy (October 11) | Nine ports, including Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Puerto Vallarta and San Blas; reopening TBA |
| Puerto Vallarta airport (PVR) | Closed since 6 p.m. Saturday, October 10; the operator aimed to reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, October 12, if safety inspections allow. Current status unconfirmed |
Cruise impact
None of the sources checked today listed a new cruise itinerary change tied to Simon. In recent weeks, Hurricane Polo and Tropical Storm Rachel forced West Coast ships to drop Mexican Riviera calls, and Virgin Voyages rerouted Brilliant Lady’s October 10 sailing away from Mexico entirely. With Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo closed and Sinaloa next in line, Mexican Riviera calls this week remain at risk.
What it means for airline travelers
- If you are booked on a Mexican Riviera cruise from Long Beach, Los Angeles or San Diego this week, expect possible port swaps. Check your line’s app and email before you fly to the embarkation port.
- Do not plan to fly into Puerto Vallarta (PVR) or Manzanillo (ZLO) to meet a ship or start a pre-cruise stay until the airports and ports confirm they are open again.
- Mazatlán (MZT) could see the storm on Wednesday or Thursday. If you are flying there, watch your airline’s weather waivers and have a backup date.
- Airline seats out of Puerto Vallarta will be tight as stranded visitors leave once flights resume. If you are flying standby, expect full flights for several days.
- A port skipped for weather usually does not bring a fare refund, though lines sometimes give onboard credit; check your line’s notice for the specific sailing.
Sources
- HNGN: Hurricane Simon Crawls Past Jalisco Offshore, Shutting Mexico’s Biggest Pacific Ports
- The Rio Times: Hurricane Simon Skirts Jalisco, Sinaloa Is Next
- Yahoo Travel: Storms Threaten Cruise Plans as Ships Reroute in the Pacific
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