Simon weakens to 90 mph as Mexico drops Islas Marias watch
Hurricane Simon weakened to 90 mph from 105 mph on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said. Mexico dropped the hurricane watch for Las Islas Marias, so no coastal watches or warnings are up. Watches could still be needed for parts of Baja California Sur in a day or two.
Hurricane Simon weakened Wednesday morning as it drifted slowly off west-central Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said.
At 8 a.m. MST Wednesday, the center put Simon about 165 miles west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes and about 250 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas. Top winds had dropped to near 90 mph. The storm was drifting southwest at about 2 mph. Central pressure was 975 mb.
Mexico's government dropped the hurricane watch for Las Islas Marias, the center said. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect. The center said Simon is no longer expected to bring hurricane conditions to the islands. People in west-central Mexico and Baja California Sur should keep watching. Watches or warnings may be needed for parts of Baja California Sur in the next day or two.
Simon is likely to move slowly and erratically for a day or two, staying well offshore, the center said. A turn toward the north or north-northwest is forecast by Friday. Some ups and downs in strength are possible through Thursday night. The center called its 90 mph estimate possibly generous and said Simon could strengthen slightly over the next day as wind shear eases. After that, the center expects Simon to weaken on Friday and into the weekend.
Through early Saturday, the center expects 1 to 2 inches of rain, with isolated amounts of 3 inches, in parts of Baja California Sur. Swells from Simon will reach the coasts of west-central Mexico and Baja California Sur over the next few days. They're likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents, the center said.
The center said Simon is a very small hurricane. Hurricane-force winds reach only about 10 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds reach about 35 miles.
On Tuesday night, when Simon was a stronger Category 2 storm, Mexico's National Meteorological Service said the compact, slow storm wasn't expected to cause significant effects on Mexico's coasts but would keep stirring high waves, Noroeste and Excélsior reported. Noroeste said the service named Jalisco, Nayarit and Baja California Sur.
What we know: Simon is now a small 90 mph hurricane, and no coastal watches or warnings are in effect.
What we don't: Whether Simon's late-week turn north will bring watches or warnings to Baja California Sur.
Where outlets agree Noroeste and Excélsior both report that Mexico's weather service said Tuesday the compact, slow-moving storm was not expected to cause significant effects on Mexico's coasts.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.