This Travel Alert is being issued to alert U.S. citizens about Hurricane Rina, which is expected to affect Quintana Roo State, in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.  This Travel Alert expires on November 8, 2011.

The Government of Mexico has instituted a Tropical Storm watch from Chetumal and the Belize border north to Cabo Grueso (including the tourist areas of Majahual and Xcalak), and a Hurricane Watch from Cabo Grueso north to Cancun (including the tourist areas of Tulum, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, and Cancun). 

The National Hurricane Center has stated that Rina is a category two hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph.  The storm is expected to strengthen further before it makes landfall, most likely early on Thursday, October 27 somewhere between Cancun and Tulum in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

The state of Quintana Roo has issued a Yellow Alert (Storm Approaching,  Preparation) for the Municipalities that include Chetumal, Bacalar, Majahual,  and Xcalak, and a Green Alert (Storm Approaching, Take Precautions) for the  rest of the state, to include Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Cancun.

The National Hurricane Center predicts that Hurricane Rina will proceed  north from landfall, and clear the Yucatan Peninsula continuing north by late  on Friday, October 28. Providing accurate storm models at this time is  difficult, and the trajectory and velocity of the storm can change at any time.

The Department of State recommends that the U.S. citizens in the  Quintana Roo area prepare themselves for the possibility of the hurricane's  landfall in the named regions.  Identify local shelter, monitor local  media reports, and follow the instructions of local emergency officials.   In some areas, adequate shelter from a severe hurricane may not be available to  all who choose to stay.  Visitors should review and follow their hotel or  cruise ship evacuation plans.

U.S. citizens also should carry their travel documents at all times  (i.e. U.S. Passport, Birth Certificate, picture ID's, etc.) or secure them in a  safe, waterproof location.  We also suggest that you contact friends and  family in the United States with updates about your whereabouts.

Flights in and out of the area may be suspended at any time, depending  on alerts from the Mexican government.  Scheduled flights may fill quickly  and flight delays may occur.  You should contact your airline for the  latest updates if you are planning to travel into or out of the affected region  within the next week.  The storm also could affect access to sea ports  similarly.

For the most-up-to-date information on Hurricane Rina, please visit The  National Hurricane Center's website at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov and U.S. consulate  Merida's website at http://merida.usconsulate.gov.

The Mexican government uses a color-coded system of alerts proceeding  from blue (minimal danger) to green (low danger) to yellow (moderate danger) to  orange (high danger) to red (maximum danger level).  To learn more about  this system, visit http://www.yucatan.gob.mx/procivy/colores.php.

To check the current alert level in Quintana Roo, U.S. citizens should  visit the local government's website at http://www.qroo.gob.mx/qroo/Temporada/index.php.  Click on “Aviso de Sistema Tropical” for information about the  storm.

To check the current alert level in Yucatan State, visit http://www.yucatan.gob.mx/procivy/index.jsp.  These Mexican  websites are printed in Spanish.

Further information on hurricanes and hurricane preparedness is  available on the State Department's website.  Check the following links  below:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/hurricane_season/hurricane_season_2915.html

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1207.html

The U.S. Consulate in Merida, Yucatan services the states of Quintana  Roo, Yucatan, and Campeche.  The Consulate remains open for business but  could suspend operations at any time as the hurricane approaches.  The  ability of the Consulate to provide assistance after the hurricane may be  limited by communications disruptions and by conditions on the ground.

The Consulate can be reached during its regular business hours (M-F,  7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) by telephone at 999-942-5700; by fax at 999-942-5777;  and by email at meridacons@state.gov.  After hours, a duty  officer can be reached by calling the Consulate's main number.

The Consulate maintains Consular Agencies in Cancun, Cozumel, and Playa  del Carmen.  Contact information for those offices is below:

Cancun: (tel) 998-883-0272 / (fax) 998-883-1373
Cozumel: (tel) 987-872-4574 / (fax) 987-872-6662
Playa del Carmen: (tel) 984-873-0303 / (fax) 984-873-0481

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City will maintain its business hours (M-F,  8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).  You can reach the Embassy by telephone at  (01-55)5080-2000; by fax at (01-55) 5525-5040; and by email at acsmexicocity@state.gov.

U.S. citizens planning to travel to Mexico should consult the Worldwide Caution and other consular information, including Country Specific Information, for specific  countries. These products and the latest international travel information for  U.S. citizens are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website. Follow us  on Twitter, and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. You can also download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel  information at your fingertips.