Heavy rainfall is expected in the states of Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco. (EPA Images pic)MANZANILLO: Hurricane Simon is rapidly intensifying off Mexico's Pacific coast, packing sustained winds of 177 kph as it churns toward a stretch of coastline dotted with beach resorts and fishing towns, the US National Hurricane Center said on Friday.

Simon, nearing Category 3 strength, is forecast to become a dangerous Category 4 by Saturday as it approaches Mexico's southwestern and west-central Pacific coast, one of the country's most popular tourist regions, the NHC said.

"Simon could deliver the most significant hurricane impact to this stretch of the Mexican Pacific coast since Lidia in 2023, which damaged thousands of homes and devastated crops along the Jalisco coast," said Tyler Roys, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.