This article is based on Intermediate Advisory 13A from the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the morning report from Mexico's National Meteorological Service (SMN), both issued on September 30, 2026. Storm data changes with every advisory, so always check the latest one from the SMN or the NHC.
According to that advisory, Manzanillo sat inside the tropical storm warning the NHC had in effect from Punta San Telmo to Playa Pérula, even though Rachel's center stayed offshore. For the Colima coast, the SMN forecast winds of 50 to 70 km/h (30 to 45 mph), gusts of 70 to 90 km/h (45 to 55 mph), 75 to 150 mm (3 to 6 inches) of rain, and waves of 4 to 6 meters (13 to 20 feet). That's enough to damage picture windows and beachfront structures.
Where Rachel Was and Why Manzanillo Fell Under the Warning
On September 30, Mexico's Navy (SEMAR) placed Rachel, then a Category 1 hurricane, 375 km (about 233 miles) west-southwest of Manzanillo. Advisory 13A reported sustained winds of 140 km/h (85 mph), northwest movement at 17 km/h (10 mph), and rapid intensification, with Rachel possibly becoming a major hurricane in a day or so. The track took it away from the mainland and south of Baja California by Thursday, October 1.
The key point: Manzanillo was under a warning, not just a watch. The U.S. National Weather Service defines a warning as conditions expected somewhere within the area. That day, the Port Authority closed the harbor, Civil Protection closed the beaches in Manzanillo, Tecomán, and Armería, and in El Paraíso, Armería, the surf worsened damage left by Hurricane Polo the week before.
What Manzanillo Can Face Without a Direct Hit
According to the NHC, Rachel's hurricane-force winds extended 35 km (20 miles) from the center, but tropical-storm-force winds reached 260 km (160 miles), and Manzanillo logged 64.7 mm (2.5 inches) of rain on Monday, September 28, alone. On the coast, that adds up to four forces:
- Gusts. The average speed in an advisory doesn't break windows; gusts do. A 90 km/h gust turns chairs, planters, and umbrellas into wind-borne debris.
- Wind-driven rain. It gets in through sliding door tracks, seals, and joints, and it's the top reason units go out of service after a storm that "missed" (see wind-driven rain).
- Waves. With 4- to 6-meter waves, palapas, first-row restaurants, seawalls, and beach-level pools take the full force of the ocean.
- Pressure differential. If an exposed window fails, wind pressurizes the interior and pushes roofs and walls outward, as we explain in how a hurricane really destroys a house.
Hotels, Condos, and Beach Restaurants Are Most Exposed
Manzanillo Bay and Santiago Bay pack hotels, towers, and restaurants into a narrow strip between the ocean and the hills. Playa Azul, Salahua, Las Brisas, the Santiago peninsula, and the Hotel Zone are full of floor-to-ceiling glass. It's the biggest selling point and the weakest link in the building envelope: the costliest opening to replace, the leakiest, and the biggest source of internal pressure if it breaks.
In a condo, protection is a collective problem made of individual decisions. A tower is only as strong as its least protected unit. If one window fails, wind pressurizes hallways and shafts. We recommend that condo associations add a minimum protection standard for exposed facades to their bylaws, plus a rule to clear terrace furniture once a warning is issued.
How to Protect Windows from Hurricanes in Manzanillo
You need to do three things: stop debris from breaking the glass, keep wind from pressurizing the interior, and keep rain out of the seals. Here's how the options compare:
| Criteria | Plywood | Impact glass | Certified hurricane fabric/mesh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified resistance | No | Yes | Yes, depending on the system |
| Large-format windows | Very difficult | Yes | Designed for large spans |
| Deployment time | Days | Permanent | Hours |
| Salt-air performance | Degrades | Good | Good with stainless anchors |
| Glass can end up cracked | Protects if it holds | Yes | The fabric takes the impact |
| Visibility during the storm | None | Full | Translucent with mesh systems |
Plywood is a last-minute fallback: it has no certified resistance, sells out fast, and is nearly impossible to install on upper floors. Impact glass is a good base, but the standard allows it to crack. It protects people and still leaves you with glass to replace. Certified hurricane fabric and mesh work in front of the glass, slow the debris, and span very large openings. On large-format facades they're the most complete option, especially when they cover the whole envelope (see full envelope vs. partial protection).
Salt Air: The Enemy Is the Year, Not the Storm
A system spends eleven months stored by the ocean and a few hours doing its job. Many fail because anchors corrode, threads seize, or the fabric breaks down in the sun. So ask not only what it withstands, but how its anchors will look in year five. Insist on marine-grade stainless anchors and screws that stay protected when the system is down, UV-resistant fabric, and a freshwater rinse of tracks and anchors every season.
What to Protect First and What to Do Under a Warning
When time runs short, order matters more than coverage: ocean-facing windows; terrace sliding doors, the most common water entry point; beach-level entrances; mechanical rooms and electrical panels, which hold what you need to reopen; and, last, side windows. All exterior work should be done before gusts top 60 km/h (37 mph).
If you can do only one thing, secure or remove everything the wind can lift from terraces and rooftops. It's free, takes an hour, and removes the most common source of debris: your own building or the one next door. Then:
- Clear terrace and roof drains, and check that anchors are corrosion-free and complete.
- Place sandbags at beach-level entrances and raise ground-floor electrical equipment.
- Photograph facades and interiors before the storm for any insurance claim.
- Follow only official channels: SMN, Colima Civil Protection, and the Port Authority.
What a Near Miss Really Costs
Manzanillo suffered one of Mexico's deadliest natural disasters in 1959, but the most common pattern is the near miss. Polo and Rachel never hit the port, yet left closed beaches, halted shipping, and damage in Armería.
An illustrative example (an estimate based on observed patterns, not a real case): a 120-room hotel with an average rate of MXN 2,800 and 65% occupancy earns about MXN 218,000 a day. If wind-driven rain takes 15 rooms out of service for four days, the direct loss runs about MXN 110,000, plus finishes. A broken picture window can pull a room from inventory for weeks. With two or three threats per season, protection becomes a tool for effective occupancy (see hotel hurricane protection).
Verifiable Certification and Reference Pricing
Hurricane Solution has operated in Mexico since 2008. Its HS-1500 system is certified to ASTM E1996-09 at Level E, the standard's highest level, designed for essential facilities such as hospitals. The test fires a 4.1 kg (9 lb) wooden missile at 80 feet per second, versus about 50 for the Miami-Dade large missile, and each certification has a verifiable file number (see HS-1500 and Level E certification).
Hurricane fabric protection systems are custom-engineered based on high-velocity wind-load calculations, opening spans, mounting substrates, and motorization requirements. Contact our engineering team directly for a precise project calculation.
Conclusion
Manzanillo wasn't in the path of Rachel's eye, but it was inside the warning, with 4- to 6-meter waves, heavy rain, and gusts that could exceed 80 km/h (50 mph). The properties that come through weeks like this know what to protect first, can do it in hours, and have systems that survive salt air. If yours isn't there yet, schedule a free technical assessment and read our residential protection guide.
This article is part of a series on Rachel along Mexico's Pacific coast, with guides for Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes and Costalegre, Lázaro Cárdenas, and Los Cabos after Polo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Hurricane Rachel expected to make landfall in Manzanillo?
No. Per NHC Advisory 13A on September 30, 2026, the center stayed offshore. Manzanillo was, however, inside the tropical storm warning.
Is Manzanillo at risk if the hurricane passes far offshore?
Yes. As of that date, the SMN forecast gusts of 70 to 90 km/h, 75 to 150 mm of rain, and 4- to 6-meter waves in Colima.
How do I protect my windows from a hurricane in Manzanillo?
With certified exterior protection over ocean-facing windows. Without it, clear loose objects and move furniture away from the glass.
Can I install custom protection once a storm is in the forecast?
Not realistically: each system is made to fit its opening. Use the event to plan ahead of the next storm.