Municipal officials in Los Cabos met with hotel industry leaders and security managers this week to coordinate emergency preparations ahead of the 2026 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, which officially begins May 15.
The working session in Cabo San Lucas brought together representatives from the Los Cabos Hotel Association, Public Safety, Civil Protection, the C2 command center, and ZOFEMAT (the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone agency). The group focused on aligning response plans before, during, and after potential storms.
El Niño Conditions Prompt Early Action
Authorities at the meeting flagged the early onset of El Niño conditions in the Pacific, which forecasters say could produce a more active rainy season than usual. The most dangerous stretch for Baja California Sur typically runs from August through October, when sea surface temperatures peak and tropical systems are most likely to form off the Pacific coast.
The local government has also launched a specialized training course for the hotel sector titled “Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management.” The program is designed to ensure resort management and staff can execute emergency protocols if a major storm targets the peninsula.
Resort Shelters and Post-Odile Upgrades
Los Cabos has 11 government-certified “safe havens” located inside major hotels. These engineered on-site shelters allow resort guests to shelter in place rather than evacuating into unfamiliar parts of the city. Hotels are also auditing backup communication systems and reviewing emergency checklists that cover everything from securing beach furniture to converting restaurants into room-service-only operations during a storm.
The region’s infrastructure was heavily reinforced after Hurricane Odile struck in September 2014 as a Category 3 storm. Odile exposed vulnerabilities in the area’s power grid, communications networks, and transportation systems. The destruction left thousands of tourists stranded and caused billions of pesos in damage across Baja California Sur.
What the Season Looks Like
The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30. Hotels and resorts are reviewing emergency procedures, marinas are monitoring evacuation protocols, and local authorities are inspecting drainage systems that can become overwhelmed during heavy rainfall.
The coordination meeting was first reported by Colectivo Pericú.