Tropical Storm Marco roared ashore on Mexico's Gulf Coast with near-hurricane force winds Tuesday.

The storm flooded coastal highways and led to the closing of some oil platforms and a natural gas processing plant in Veracruz.

Marco also brought heavy rains to Veracruz, where authorities are preparing to evacuate some low-lying areas.

A civil protection official said some rain-swollen rivers have already jumped their banks, leaving at least two towns under 10 feet of water.

Forecasters described Marco as a tightly wound storm, with winds extending only about 15 miles. It's expected to fade as it moves over mountainous terrain.

At 1 p.m. CDT, the storm was moving toward the west at about 6 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Mexico, Hurricane Norbert is swirling in the Pacific.

It's expected to hit the southern Baja California Peninsula by the weekend.