Hurricane Priscilla nears Mexican Riviera; watches posted, cruise itineraries adjust

Published on Oct 6, 2025, 5:01 pm CDTUpdated on Oct 7, 2025, 9:30 am CDT

6 min read

Hurricane Priscilla is tracking northwest offshore of west-central Mexico, with Tropical Storm Watches now in effect from Manzanillo to Punta Mita and in southern Baja California Sur from Cabo San Lucas to Santa Fe. Forecasters warn of heavy rain, hazardous surf, and rip currents affecting the resort corridors around Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, and Los Cabos through midweek. Early travel impacts include small-craft restrictions, beach warnings, and cruise call cancellations as operators work around deteriorating sea states.

Key Points

Why it matters: Dangerous surf, rip currents, and downpours threaten popular beach destinations through midweek.
Travel impact: Port operations may be limited; airlines could delay or cancel flights as bands move ashore.
What's next: Priscilla may reach Category 2 before weakening midweek; southern Baja faces watches into Wednesday.
Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas dropped Cabo and Mazatlán, substituting sea days October 6-7.
No major U.S. carrier waivers for PVR, ZLO, or SJD were posted as of publication.

Snapshot

As of the 2:00 p.m. MST advisory on October 6, Priscilla held 85 mph maximum sustained winds, positioned about 210 miles southwest of Cabo Corrientes and roughly 340 miles southeast of the Baja California Sur tip. A Tropical Storm Watch spans Manzanillo to Punta Mita on the mainland, plus Cabo San Lucas to Santa Fe in southern Baja. Rainfall of 1 to 2 inches, locally higher, could trigger flash flooding in Michoacán and Colima, with additional bands reaching southern Baja Tuesday into Wednesday. Long-period swells are already producing life-threatening rip currents along exposed beaches. Forecast guidance keeps the center paralleling the coast, strengthening short-term, then weakening over cooler water by midweek.

Background

The Mexican Riviera's October cruise and air schedules are sensitive to eastern Pacific cyclones that funnel swell into open-roadstead ports such as Cabo San Lucas. Even without a mainland landfall, long-period waves can force port restrictions for tenders, tour boats, and small craft. Resorts and municipal beach authorities typically escalate flag warnings as surf and rip currents increase, while harbor masters may limit departures. On the aviation side, Puerto Vallarta's Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR), Manzanillo's Playa de Oro International Airport (ZLO), and Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) generally remain open unless winds cross safety thresholds; airlines adjust with delays, aircraft swaps, or cancellations as convective bands pass.

Latest Developments

Tropical storm watches expanded; hazardous surf along Jalisco, Colima, and southern Baja

The National Hurricane Center's 2:00 p.m. MST bulletin keeps a Tropical Storm Watch from Manzanillo to Punta Mita and adds southern Baja California Sur from Cabo San Lucas to Santa Fe, noting potential tropical-storm conditions in Baja Tuesday night into Wednesday. The center sits offshore moving north-northwest; swells are impacting west-central Mexico and the southern Baja peninsula. Forecast rainfall could reach 1 to 2 inches in Michoacán and Colima, with local higher totals and flash-flood potential, and similar amounts in southern Baja midweek. Travelers should expect red-flag beach closures, rip currents, and intermittent road flooding near resort zones. Flight Delays and Airport Impacts: October 6

Cruise lines pivot; Radiance of the Seas skips Cabo and Mazatlán

Royal Caribbean guests on Radiance of the Seas' October 4 departure were notified that calls to Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlán are canceled, replaced by sea days on October 6-7, citing safety and forecast tracks. Additional Mexican Riviera deployments could adjust similarly if sea states worsen or tenders become unsafe. Travelers booked on independent shore excursions should contact providers for refunds or rebooking. For broader context on storm timing and swells along the route, see our earlier outlook on the Mexican Riviera window. Mexican Riviera outlook: Priscilla, Oct. 5-7

Local advisories: small-craft limits, beach flags, and potential port restrictions

Harbor authorities around Puerto Vallarta have restricted small-craft operations and urged caution as surf builds, with beach flag warnings in effect. Similar measures may roll out in Los Cabos if swells and wind increase. Expect popular water tours, snorkeling trips, and tender operations to be curtailed until conditions improve. Check with your hotel concierge and tour operators on day-of status before heading to marinas.

Analysis

For air travelers, the primary risk window runs through midweek as outer bands clip the coast. Even with VFR conditions between squalls, embedded convection can ripple through airline operations, especially at PVR where surrounding terrain complicates approach profiles. Build in time for gate holds, rolling delays, and potential diversions. As of publication, major U.S. carriers had not posted event-specific change waivers for PVR, ZLO, or SJD; that can shift quickly if impacts escalate. Monitor your airline's travel-alerts page and app, enable flight-status notifications, and consider moving to earlier departures when available to outrun convective waves.

Cruise guests should expect dynamic itinerary management as lines weigh tender safety, port capacity, and swell direction. Open-roadstead ports such as Cabo San Lucas are particularly sensitive to long-period swell; even modest wind may halt tendering when wave sets peak. Where ports close to small craft, ship calls may cancel or swap to pier-equipped alternatives, or add sea days. Independent tour bookings generally follow port-agent or harbor-master decisions; request written confirmation of cancellation to streamline refunds. Beach conditions will remain hazardous; follow local flag systems, avoid jetties and rocky points, and heed lifeguard instructions.

Final Thoughts

Priscilla's current track keeps the core offshore, but its long-period swell and rain bands will still disrupt plans along Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit, and southern Baja. If you are flying into Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, or Los Cabos, keep your airline app handy, watch for waivers, and consider proactive rebooking if your schedule is tight. Cruise guests should expect conservative calls on tender ports and monitor line communications. With situational flexibility and a safety-first approach, travelers can navigate the next 48 to 72 hours while Hurricane Priscilla parallels the coast.