墨西哥城，10月8日——美国国家飓风中心周四表示，热带风暴“西蒙”预计将在本周末之前迅速增强为强飓风，并袭击墨西哥的太平洋沿岸，可能带来破坏性强风、危及生命的洪水和危险的风暴潮。
MEXICO CITY, Oct 8 - Tropical Storm Simon is forecast to rapidly strengthen into a major hurricane before striking Mexico's Pacific coast this weekend, threatening destructive winds, life-threatening flooding and dangerous storm surge, the US National Hurricane Center said on Thursday.
据位于迈阿密的该中心称，截至中午时分，“西蒙”位于曼萨尼略以南约245英里（395公里）处，最大持续风速为每小时65英里（100公里）。目前该风暴正以每小时5英里的速度向西移动，预计将于周五转向北方，并在周六晚些时候逼近墨西哥西南部和中西部地区。
Simon was about 245 miles (395 km) south of Manzanillo at midday, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph), the Miami-based center said. It was moving west at 5 mph and is expected to turn northward on Friday, approaching southwestern and west-central Mexico late on Saturday.
飓风中心预测，“西蒙”很可能在周四晚些时候升级为飓风，并在抵达海岸前进一步增强为“非常危险”的4级飓风。
The hurricane center said Simon was likely to become a hurricane later on Thursday and intensify into a "very dangerous" Category 4 hurricane before reaching the coast.
从港口城市曼萨尼略到热门度假胜地蓬塔米塔一带，已经发布了飓风警报。
A hurricane watch was in effect from the port city of Manzanillo to vacation hotspot Punta Mita.
预报员警告称，“西蒙”可能在未来几天内给墨西哥西南部部分地区带来8至15英寸（20至38厘米）的降雨；在米却肯州、科利马州和哈利斯科州，局部地区的降雨量可能达到25英寸（64厘米）。这种降雨可能引发危及生命的洪水和山体滑坡，尤其是在山区。
Forecasters warned Simon could dump 8 to 15 inches (20 to 38 cm) of rain across parts of southwestern Mexico through Sunday, with isolated totals of up to 25 inches (64 cm) possible in the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco. The rainfall could trigger life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in mountainous areas.
该中心还指出，在风暴中心登陆的附近及东部地区，可能会出现危险的风暴潮，沿海地区将出现巨浪和破坏性海浪。由“西蒙”引发的海浪预计将在未来几天内导致危险的海浪条件和急流。
A dangerous storm surge was also possible near and east of where the storm's center makes landfall, the center said, with large and destructive waves expected along the coast. Swells generated by Simon were forecast to create hazardous surf and rip current conditions over the coming days.
私人预报机构AccuWeather预测，“西蒙”可能于周日登陆墨西哥西部，登陆时的风速将达到每小时120至130英里（193至209公里），受灾最严重地区的风暴潮高度可能达到15英尺（4.6米）。该机构表示，上个月受飓风“波洛”影响的某些地区现在又面临新的热带风暴威胁。
Private forecaster AccuWeather said Simon could make landfall in western Mexico on Sunday with wind gusts of 120 to 130 mph (193 to 209 kph) near the point of impact and storm surge of up to 15 feet (4.6 meters) in the worst-hit areas. It said some of the same regions affected by Hurricane Polo late last month were now facing another tropical threat.
AccuWeather还指出，来自“Simon”风暴的热带湿气可能在下周扩散到美国西南部地区，为新墨西哥州的部分地区、亚利桑那州东部、科罗拉多州南部以及德克萨斯州西部带来1至2英寸（2.5至5厘米）的降雨；新墨西哥州南部地区的降雨量可能会更高。
AccuWeather also said tropical moisture from Simon could spread into the US Southwest next week, bringing 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of rain to parts of New Mexico, eastern Arizona, southern Colorado and western Texas, with higher totals possible in southern New Mexico.