Tropical Storm Dolly moves ashore off Mexico Gulf

A couple of cars lie in a portion of a collapsed street due to heavy rains in the Gulf port city of Veracruz, Mexico, Tuesday Sept. 2, 2014. The Gulf states of Mexico are bracing for more bad weather as Tropical Storm Dolly will cross the coast lat this evening or overnight and continue moving inland over northeastern Mexico on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez) A couple of cars lie in a portion of a collapsed street due to heavy rains in the Gulf port city of Veracruz, Mexico, Tuesday Sept. 2, 2014. The Gulf states of Mexico are bracing for more bad weather as Tropical Storm Dolly will cross the coast lat this evening or overnight and continue moving inland over northeastern Mexico on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

By Associated Press September 3, 2014 2 min read

MEXICO CITY (AP) – Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Dolly threatened flash floods and mudslides in mountainous areas as it moved in from Mexico’s Gulf coast, where authorities had readied shelters and suspended school classes on Wednesday.

The U.S. Hurricane Center said Dolly was located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south-southeast of Tampico late Tuesday evening. The storm’s maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph (75 kph) and it was moving to the west at 9 mph (15 kph).

The storm was expected to bring 5 to 10 inches (12 to 25 centimeters) of rain to states of Tamaulipas and Veracruz, along the Gulf coast and inland. Life-threatening flash floods and mud slides were possible in mountainous areas.

Tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 140 miles (220 kilometers) but weakening was expected over the next 24 hours as Dolly moves farther inland.

Tamaulipas state authorities said earlier in the day that shelters were being readied and that classes would be suspended Wednesday in several municipalities along the Gulf coast. Authorities in neighboring Veracruz state ordered classes in the whole state suspended.