, U.S. officials issued a travel alert , advising U.S. citizens in the area to prepare themselves for the possibility of a hurricane . Some tourists decided not to take any chances . `` We wanted to get out of there . ... We were on vacation and just did n't want to be stressed , '' said Kathy Davis , 57 , an American with a timeshare in Cancun . She said she and her husband celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at the airport while waiting to catch a flight . In Cancun 's hotel area , crews were securing boats and clearing palm fronds and debris . Kelly McLaughlin moved her 6-year-old son 's toys inside and trimmed tree branches around her home . `` I 'm just checking everything to make sure there 's nothing loose , '' said McLaughlin , a Canadian who 's lived in Cancun for eight years . McLaughlin , 40 , said preparing for storms has become routine since Hurricane Wilma devastated the area in 2005 . `` My friends that are fairly new to Cancun are a lot more nervous and starting to get a little stressed , '' she said
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rina was almost a Category 3 hurricane as it careened near Honduras and Belize Wednesday before heading towards Cancun . The storm was packing 110 mph winds early Wednesday morning and moving at 3 mph , according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center . That is 1 mph away from a Category 3 hurricane . Forecast models show Rina strengthening into a Category 3 hurricane before approaching the Yucatan . The projected path shows Rina back at Category 2 intensity when it takes aim at Cancun on Thursday . Residents and worried travelers in Cancun stocked up on supplies Tuesday to prepare for the storm to hit the popular Mexican resort city . Carla Bautista bought bread , water and canned tuna . `` It 's my first hurricane . This is new . ... I 'm a little afraid , because I do n't know what to expect , '' said Bautista , 28 , who moved to Cancun two months ago from Mexico City . Mexican officials issued a hurricane warning for the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from north of Punta Gruesa to Cancun as the Category 2 storm strengthened . Similarly