**Hurricane Simon reached Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale with peak sustained winds near 145–150 mph (roughly 125–130 kt) around October 10–11, 2026, before rapid weakening.** Official National Hurricane Center analyses, supported by Dvorak satellite estimates, aircraft reconnaissance, and objective aids, confirmed this intensity as the storm tracked near Mexico’s Pacific coast. Its small size and interaction with terrain, combined with increasing southwesterly shear and drier air, drove the subsequent decline to Category 1–2 status by October 14 and a tropical storm (50–60 kt) by October 15, with forecasts calling for further weakening into a post-tropical remnant. Market-implied odds heavily favor Category 4 because verified observations place the maximum intensity squarely in that range (130–156 kt), consistent with historical Eastern Pacific analogs for compact systems. A Category 5 outcome remains improbable without evidence of further intensification under more favorable conditions, while lower categories are ruled out by the documented peak. New NHC forecast updates or post-storm reanalysis could introduce minor adjustments, but current data show strong consensus around the observed Category 4 maximum.