Hurricane Simon Holds at Category Two Off Mexico's Pacific Coast

Hurricane Simon is holding its strength in the eastern Pacific. The National Hurricane Center's latest advisory keeps Simon as a Category Two hurricane, with winds of 105 miles per hour, drifting slowly offshore from Mexico's Pacific coast rather than moving inland.

Tropical storm warnings remain in effect along the coast near Cabo Corrientes. Even with the storm staying offshore, forecasters warn of life-threatening surf and rip currents along the Mexican coast and the Baja California peninsula, and they expect heavy rain for the state of Jalisco as Simon moves slowly along the coast.

In the Atlantic, a new storm, Tropical Storm Lorenzo, formed on Monday. Lorenzo is far from land, and forecasters say it is not expected to threaten any coastline, leaving Simon as the tropical system of concern for populated areas at the start of the week.

The United States, meanwhile, is seeing sharp contrasts in conditions. Chicago is expecting its first freeze tonight, with lows dipping into the upper twenties. Phoenix, by contrast, stays in record heat, with highs of 103 to 105 degrees expected through Thursday — a spread of more than 70 degrees between the two cities on the same night and day.

On the West Coast, Seattle's long dry spell ends on Wednesday, as Pacific rain returns to western Washington. Between a hurricane offshore from Mexico, a first freeze in Chicago, record heat in Phoenix and rain returning to Seattle, Tuesday's weather map offers a little of almost everything the season can produce.

From the October 13 episode of The World Briefing Room.