Hurricane Simon stayed nearly steady Tuesday afternoon off west-central Mexico, and Mexico dropped the watches that had covered the mainland coast.

At 2 p.m. MST, the National Hurricane Center put Simon about 115 miles west of Cabo Corrientes and 115 miles southwest of Las Islas Marias. Its top winds were still near 90 mph, and it was drifting west at about 2 mph. The center said some slight strengthening is possible over the next day or so, and it expects Simon to remain a hurricane through Thursday before gradual weakening. Simon is very small, with hurricane-force winds reaching only 10 miles from its center and tropical-storm-force winds out to about 35 miles.

Mexico discontinued the hurricane watch and tropical storm watch for mainland Mexico with this advisory. A hurricane watch remains only for Las Islas Marias. Hurricane conditions are possible there on Wednesday or Thursday, the center said. Interests in west-central Mexico and Baja California Sur should keep watching, because new watches and warnings could be needed over the next day or two.

The center still expects Simon to drop 1 to 2 inches of rain, with up to 3 inches in spots, over parts of Baja California Sur, Nayarit and Sinaloa by Friday. Swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents along the southwestern and west-central Mexican coast for the next few days.

Where Simon goes next remains highly uncertain. Forecasters now lean toward a little more southward drift over the next day or so at a crawl, then a slow turn north or north-northwest later this week that could bring it nearer Baja California Sur or the Gulf of California. Other outcomes still range from a mainland Mexico landfall to staying well south of the coast. Its strength could also swing quickly up or down, they said.

Simon was a major hurricane over the weekend. It pounded the coast near Puerto Vallarta on Sunday as a Category 3 storm, with its eye just offshore, the AP reported. The resort city's airport suspended operations until Tuesday morning.

The storm never made landfall, AFP reported. A 71-year-old man died when a wall collapsed in Chilpancingo, in Guerrero state, Governor Evelyn Salgado said. Tropical systems have now caused five deaths in Mexico, the AP reported, including four in Baja California from the storm Rachel. In Colima, Governor Indira Vizcaíno Silva said 71 homes and 35 businesses were affected, IBTimes Mexico reported.

What we know: Simon is still a small 90 mph hurricane offshore, and Mexico has dropped the mainland watches.
What we don't: Where and when Simon will come ashore, and how strong it will be then.