Hurricane Simon threatens western Mexico with winds of 250 km per hour

Hurricane Simon has strengthened into a powerful Category 4 storm and is expected to make landfall or graze the coast of west-central Mexico today, with winds that could reach a maximum speed of 155 miles (249 kilometers) per hour.

This was reported by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the USA, while the Mexican Navy has in the meantime evacuated around 100 people from the west coast of the country due to the storm.

“Significant or catastrophic winds, storm surge, and precipitation are likely to occur in parts of west-central Mexico,” the National Hurricane Center added. “Preparations must be completed quickly to protect lives and property in the area affected by the hurricane warning.”

Hurricanes in the Pacific due to El Niño

Meanwhile, Florida is assessing the damage caused by Isaias, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, which caused at least 4 deaths in the south-east of the United States.

Simon is the latest in a series of hurricanes to hit the Pacific, where the powerful ocean warming phenomenon known as El Niño is reducing variation in wind speed and direction, allowing storms to gain more power.