Pamela moves inland after slamming Mexico's Pacific coast as hurricane

MEXICO CITY - Tropical Storm Pamela made landfall on Wednesday as a hurricane along Mexico’s Pacific coast and continued to move inland, bringing heavy rain and wind across several Mexican states. 

Earlier, the storm regained hurricane strength just before reaching the coast, making landfall 40 miles north of Mazatlan — a port city and popular resort area for Mexican tourists. 

Officials in the northern state of Sinaloa said the storm’s wind and rains did little damage in the city. 

Pamela’s maximum sustained winds had fallen Wednesday afternoon to 65 mph as the storm moved north-northeast at 23 mph, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Forecasters said remnants of the storm could approach Texas by late Wednesday or Thursday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 140 miles, the NHC said. Wind gusts of 46 mph were recorded Wednesday morning at Mazatlan Airport.

"Storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding in areas of onshore winds near Pamela's landfall location in southwestern Mexico. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves," the center said.

Across the Mexican States of Sinaloa, western Durango and northern Nayarit, forecasters predicted 4 to 8 inches of rain to come with up to 12 inches in some areas. 

"This rainfall may trigger significant and life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides," the center warned.

Pamela was forecast to weaken while crossing over northern Mexico and could approach the Texas border as a tropical depression or remnants by late Wednesday or Thursday. 

The center said remnants of the storm could carry heavy rain to central Texas and southeast Oklahoma, an area already hit by severe weather this week. 

On Monday, multiple reported tornadoes swept through Oklahoma. Baseball-sized hail was also reported in parts of the state but there were no reports on Monday of deaths or injuries. Residents in Oklahoma City awoke Wednesday morning to more severe storms, including the sound of tornado sirens, according to FOX 25. 

This story was reported from Cincinnati. The Associated Press contributed.