The Mexico Guides

Tropical Storm Rachel Brings Flooding to Baja California

· 2 min read Travel News
Storm clouds forming over Mexico's Pacific coastline during hurricane season

Contents

  1. What Happened
  2. Current Situation
  3. What to Check Before You Go

Tropical Storm Rachel swept through the Baja California peninsula on 12–13 October 2026, bringing heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and road closures across the region. The storm arrived at roughly the same time as Hurricane Simon was affecting the Pacific coast further south near Puerto Vallarta - an unusual occurrence of two simultaneous Pacific cyclones.

What Happened

Rachel tracked across the Baja California peninsula as a tropical storm, dumping significant rain on areas including Ensenada and the corridor between La Paz and Los Cabos. The resulting flash floods caused road damage along stretches of the Transpeninsular Highway (Mexico 1) and temporarily cut access to some communities.

Deaths and missing persons were reported in affected areas. Mexican civil protection authorities coordinated emergency response efforts across the peninsula.

Current Situation

As of 15 October, Rachel has moved clear of the peninsula and weakened. However, travellers should be aware of the following:

  • Roads: Some stretches of Mexico 1 and secondary roads in Baja California may still be damaged or under assessment. Check with local state authorities or toll operators before long drives.
  • Los Cabos airport: Confirm flight status with your airline if travelling through San José del Cabo International Airport (SJD) in the coming days.
  • Tours and activities: Whale watching, diving, and outdoor excursions around La Paz and Cabo may have modified schedules while operators assess conditions.

What to Check Before You Go

Official road conditions for Baja California are published by the state’s civil protection agency (Secretaría de Protección Civil de Baja California). For Los Cabos specifically, local tourism boards and your accommodation can confirm whether services are operating normally.

Travel insurance with cancellation and disruption cover is recommended for all visits during Mexico’s Pacific hurricane season, which runs from June through November. Our guide to Mexico’s best time to visit covers month-by-month weather risk across the country.