Hurricane Simon has weakened to a Category 3 off west-central Mexico; the threat continues

Sunday's advisory had the eyewall of a Category 4 storm very near that coast, with winds near 150 mph. The center stayed offshore. By 2 a.m. Mountain time Monday, in Advisory Number 20, Simon was a Category 3, drifting northwest at 5 mph. The National Hurricane Center said dangerous winds and flooding rains were continuing along the coast.

The center was near latitude 20.0 north, longitude 106.3 west: about 145 miles (235 kilometers) west-northwest of Manzanillo, and about 50 miles (75 kilometers) southwest of Cabo Corrientes. The minimum central pressure was 958 millibars.

A hurricane warning is in effect from Playa Perula to El Roblito, and for Las Islas Marias. A hurricane watch covers the coast north of El Roblito to Bahia Tempehuaya. A warning means hurricane conditions are expected. A watch means they are possible.

Simon is expected to keep drifting northwest into early Tuesday, then turn gradually toward the northeast and move inland across west-central Mexico around midweek. Slow weakening is forecast. The center expects Simon to remain a hurricane through midweek, and says rapid weakening is likely after the storm moves inland.

More rain is forecast: an additional 2 to 4 inches across coastal parts of southwest and west-central Mexico, with isolated additional amounts of 6 to 8 inches over parts of Jalisco early in the week and over parts of Sinaloa mainly Wednesday and Thursday. Isolated maximum storm totals of 30 inches are possible over parts of Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco. The center says that rain will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, or worsen flooding already under way, especially in steep terrain. A dangerous storm surge is expected along the immediate coast near and to the east of where the center approaches land.

The U.S. center tells people in Mexico to follow products from their national meteorological service. This desk did not open those pages.