 Few surface observations were taken during the passage of the hurricane , though officials reported that southern Mexico experienced the brunt of the storm . Puerto Escondido , Oaxaca , near where Pauline made landfall , reported a peak wind gust of 70 mph ( 115 km / h ) several hours before the hurricane moved through the area ; no reports were available after that time . An anemometer in Acapulco reported a wind gust of 59 mph ( 95 km / h ) with sustained winds of 46 mph ( 75 km / h ) . However , officials estimate Pauline might have been a hurricane while passing through the area . The hurricane produced very heavy rainfall along its path , with many areas receiving more than 15 inches ( 381 mm ) . According to the Comision Nacional del Agua , precipitation was recorded at 2 @,@ 132 sites . The two highest reported rainfall totals are 27 @.@ 1 inches ( 688 mm ) at San Luis Actlan , and 32 @.@ 62 inches ( 930 mm ) at Puente Jula , near Paso Overjas . This made Pauline the wettest tropical cyclone in the history of Guerrero . In Acapulco , the hurricane dropped 16 @.@ 9 in ( 430 mm ) of rainfall in 24 hours . This broke the city precipitation record set originally in 1974 ; the 1997 total represented about 25 % of the city 's annual rainfall . Seas of about 30 ft ( 9 m ) were reported along the Oaxaca coastline while the hurricane made landfall . 
