People have been warned to take urgent shelter as Hurricane Simon barrels towards Mexico’s western coast, bringing extreme winds and rainfall.

The category four hurricane, which forecasters say has reached 145 mph (230 kph), is expected to make landfall on the Mexican coast later on Saturday or on Sunday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

It said residents should take urgent action to prepare, warning that severe winds could arrive sooner than the hurricane as the storm “quickly intensifies”.

The centre said Simon could bring as much as 10 to 20 inches (25-50 cm) of rain over parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas receiving up to 30 inches.

Maps show the major hurricane closing in on the Mexican coast as authorities warned of “life-threatening” extreme weather.

A hurricane warning is currently in effect for Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita, Punta Mita to El Roblito, and Las Islas Marias on Mexico’s central western coast. Simon is expected to bring heavy rainfall to parts of southwestern Mexico, possibly concentrated along Jalisco’s coast and in parts of Michoacan, Colima and Nayarit.

Devastating rainfall is expected to produce “life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain,” the NHC said.

The state of Jalisco suspended classes on Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating dozens of people from at-risk areas.

It also asked the tourism sector in Puerto Vallarta, a popular destination for US tourists, to ensure that both workers and visitors are fully accommodated in shelters or safe zones by Friday afternoon.

It comes after Storm Isaias left hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle without power early on Saturday morning. The storm left left flooded roads and downed trees in its wake as it moved inland, and is expected to bring heavy rain and potential flooding for much of the Southeast US over the weekend.

Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. Hurricane-force winds lashed the Gulf shoreline in the low-lying coastal area known for powdery white-sand beaches dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars, and seafood shacks.

“The storm is here. Buckle down at this point. Don’t be getting out on the roads,” Florida governor Ron DeSantis said at a news conference on Friday.

Tropical Storm Rachel is also expected to bring heavy winds and rain to northern Mexico and Southern California on Saturday and Sunday.