Hurricane Patricia made landfall in southwestern Mexico Friday, entering as a massive Category 5 storm with sustained winds up to 165 mph.
Within hours, the storm began to lose force as it moved over a mountainous region inland, dropping to a Category 4 storm with winds of 130 mph.
Mexican authorities and civilians took to social media to tell the stories of the storm as it hit, posting photos and videos Friday.
Around 15,000 tourists were moved away from the coast to inland shelters in advance of the hurricane, according to Mexican officials.
Alaska Airlines canceled all flights to Puerto Vallarta through Saturday and said it would re-book travelers to other destinations in Mexico.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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