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Travellers headed to Mexico may have heightened safety concerns as a major hurricane sweeps the country’s Pacific coast.
Hurricane Simon, formerly a Category 4 storm, approached Mexico’s southwestern and west-central Pacific coast, one of the country’s most popular tourist regions, on Sunday.
Conagua, Mexico’s national weather service, has warned locals to “remain attentive” as rainfall could cause landslides and increased river levels in low-lying areas of Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Michoacan.
Further winds with gusts up to 220km an hour and waves up to nine meters high are forecast on the coast on Monday.
Here is the latest travel advice for Mexico, plus all the key questions and answers, following Hurricane Simon.
Read more: Hurricane Simon update: Storm expected to become Category 4 before landfall
Is it safe to travel to Mexico?
There are no specific “do not travel” warnings related to Hurricane Simon.
However, there have been some longstanding warnings in place where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima, Guerrero and Chiapas. Read the FCDO’s Mexico pages for more information.
What does the UK government say?
The UK’s Foreign Office (FCDO) warned: “Hurricane Simon is bringing heavy rain to Mexico’s Pacific coast. It is forecast to intensify to a major hurricane, making landfall around Manzanillo on Sunday 11 October and progressing through Jalisco state, including to the regions surrounding Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.”
It added that the hurricane could result in “life-threatening” flooding and landslides, very high winds and “dangerous” ocean conditions.
Travellers are advised to monitor local and international weather updates, including the US National Hurricane Centre and Mexican Meteorological Service.
The FCDO said: “Follow advice from local authorities and your tour operator. Flights could be affected, and ports have been closed. The Jalisco Authorities have an application for local residents.”
What do local authorities say?
On Monday, Hurricane Simon remains a Category 3 storm that will generate “extraordinary rainfall” greater than 250mm in Jalisco, said a weather advisory from Conagua.
Winds with gusts up to 220km an hour and waves up to nine meters high are expected on the coast.
According to the forecast, winds and rainfall should decrease during the night.
Locals are warned to “remain attentive” as rainfall could cause landslides and increased river levels in low-lying areas of Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Michoacan.
What is US travel advice?
The US National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for all coastal areas from Punta San Telmo, Michoacan, to Punta Mita, Nayarit – an area that includes Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.
“Simon is expected to produce heavy rainfall in the states of Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Michoacan on Friday and into the weekend. This rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.
“Hazardous ocean conditions—intensified by storms—may result in deadly rip currents and rogue waves. Avoid beaches, swimming, boating and other coastal recreation, heed warnings from local authorities, and monitor official weather updates closely,” said the US embassy in Mexico.
Have flights been cancelled?
As of Monday morning, no major flight disruption has occurred at Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.
However, Puerto Vallarta airport suspended flight arrivals from 5pm Saturday until 8am on Monday following “recommendations from the authorities”.
US-based airline Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flight at no extra cost to Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta airports until 15 October.
Can I cancel my holiday to Mexico?
As the FCDO has not warned against non-essential travel to Mexico, there will be no special circumstances in place to allow you to cancel a trip for a full refund.
The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it’s best to contact them if you’re looking to postpone.
There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim on your travel insurance due to safety concerns unless government advice changes.
If you do have travel insurance, some policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.
Read more: Simon strengthens into a Category 4 hurricane as it approaches Mexico
