Photo of the aftermath of Sleet Storm that paralyzed parts of Mexico City and caused damage and injuries from structures falling.

Scene of Sleet accumulations that look like snow fell at an incredible rate here in Mexico City causing traffic on major roads in the Polanco, Condesa, Lomas de Chapultepec and Anzures areas of Mexico City.

Here is a photo taken of a walkway at Chapultepec Forest (Bosques de Chapultepec) about an hour after the deluge of Sleet and Hail finally came to a halt allowing assessment of damage and injuries.

Like a scene out of a winter wonderland story this could be anywhere but it was taken here in Mexico City on Saturday March 10, 2012 after the sudden entrance to the area of Cold Front 39 causing temperatures to plummet to near freezing causing the ice storm.

I was on the road at the time the storm hit and I was communicating by radio to staff at an event in the park and I couldn’t hear anything except the sound of these balls of Ice striking the car and accumulating on the road so fast it made having an SUV perfect.  As I approached a main 6 lane throughway “Paseo de las Palmas” traffic was all stopped on the side of the road as windshield wipers weren’t doing anything and I too pulled into the Starbucks entrance and waited out the worst of the storm before continuing on in up to 18 inches of flooding with ice floating and some areas up to 5 inches of ice like a snow covered roadway.

In the areas affected by the sudden ice storm as many as 47 people were injured by falling ceilings, construction areas that had some parts collapse under the weight of the ice and water.  One of the high end shopping centers “Antara” also sustained damage as one of the poly roofs collapsed but nobody was injured.

Mother Nature continues to show just how angry she can get..

Our idea has been around now for 12 years and we haven’t achieved the original goal of making this Virtual Travel Magazine the number 1 visited by people thinking about visiting Mexico for vacation, business or cultural reasons.

What’s Changed?  At the end of 2011 we (Abril and I) decided that 2012 was going to be the year that we bring Mexico Travel Magazine up to the speed of the original concept and we have begun to hire staff writers, photographers and video production staff.

The first addition to the staff of Mexico Travel Magazine was a new assistant editor and senior staff writer:

Luis Frias became a part of our team in February 2012 originally from Pachuca Hidalgo now living in Mexico City.  Luis brings to the team years of working in mass media on radio as well as for print.  Luis has held writing position in various newspapers like Reforma and has held the position of Assistant Editor of Mexico’s version of the Wall Street Journal “El Financiero” bringing to the team a fresh perspective and excellent resume of experience.

Luis will be part of the Management team in charge of article and information development, review of logistics for future and existing articles, research and development of new ideas.

Luis talks about the first and largest project of 2012, a hugh undertaking on our part with more than 6 million pesos (500 thousand US dollars) in investment to develop the project.

“This year our production company is developing a marketing and information project with INAH to promote world wide the “Mundo Maya” which is a joint project of the Tourism Secretary and INAH (National Institute of Archaeology) and we have the pleasure of being the external company that will be developing a international marketing program with the authorization of the INAH.  We will begin filming and photographing the 10 Archaeology sites in the 5 states included this year in the “Mundo Maya Passport 2012″ including the States of Tabasco, Campeche, Chiapas, Yucatan and Quintana Roo.”  ”We are going to be producing 10 short spots to promote each of the Archaeological sites as well as the area including history of the area, cultural, gastronomy and activities in the area.”  ”INAH has authorized exclusive and extensive access to the sites even areas where the public are not permitted to visit as well as historical information and past images that are part of the INAH archives and are going to contact the local tourism secretaries to provide logistics assistance for the project.”

Because of the large financial undertaking we are looking for sponsors who want to be a part of the project and have their business mentioned in the credits as well as published in articles and included in the production.  Sponsorship levels are being worked on so that there is equitable distribution of information and spots that represent the amount that they are providing for the project and sponsors can be anyone from big companies like Coca Cola, Pepsi, Bonafont, Nestle to smaller sponsors like Hotels, Restaurants, Activity Providers or Transportation companies.

Abril Frias Commercialization Director

Abril Stolz has been a part of the team since the magazines inception and my partner in life here in Mexico.  Abril like Luis is originally from Hidalgo and holds 2 masters degrees in Psychology.  Abril is also the owner and general director of Bodas Turquesa / Weddings Turquesa a wedding and event coordination company with offices all around Mexico.  Abril began coordinating weddings and events as a result of inquiries to our destination websites and in 2006 launched Bodas Turquesa offering services in Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras and Tulum and today Abril has the largest and most solicited coordination company in Mexico with home offices in Mexico City and Destination Wedding offices in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and offices opening this year in 5 other popular wedding destinations.  Abril has a team of more than 20 wedding and event professionals as well as an incredible portfolio of reliable service providers all around Mexico who maintain the same customer service and satisfaction level as she does.

“My idea was not to build “the biggest” wedding coordination company in Mexico but develop “the best” wedding and event consulting company based on hiring only the best staff and working only with the best service providers, hotels and locations.” “I built the company on customer service and giving service to couples that no other wedding coordinators wanted to work with, “The Mexican Bride” because of the number of hours involved and follow up required.”

Abril built her business on customer service and satisfaction answering information requests and e-mails within 24 hours and creating a follow up with her providers as well as contracts with locations and hotels to get her clients the best price and not sacrifice quality.

Abril will have limited duties here at the Magazine because of her duties coordinating weddings and events and overseeing her growing company but she will still be a part of the board of editors as well as in charge of overseeing the commercialization department of the magazine.

Kevin in Scotland on a Photo Tour with the Island of Man in the background.

That brings us down to the founder Kevin Stolz the Executive Director or General Director as it is called here in Mexico.  Kevin studied Productions and Writing for the Mass Medias back in New York decades ago and is an avid photographer. Kevin is a credentialed member of the International Free Press and has covered events in Mexico from protests and natural disasters to events and concerts.  His work has been published in magazines like Travel and Leisure Latin America and ESCAPE-C a national printed magazine dedicated to alternative tourism in Mexico as well as in websites and on television from CNN and MSNBC to local radio and tv stations around the world for natural disasters like hurricane’s Emily and Wilma which struck the area in 2005.  Today Kevin is also the owner of a production studio in Mexico which does everything from photography of everything from portraits and editorial work to weddings and events as well as video productions.

“For as long as I can remember maybe 5 or 6 years old I was fascinated by cameras and photography and my first camera my uncle gave me when I was about 10 and it used 126 rolls of film and then a Bell and Howell 8 mm camera was handed down.”  ”When I turned 16 I bought my first Canon Camera and used it everywhere from school, street, fires and accidents, I was hooked on being a reporting photographer although life didn’t send me that way right after school.”

“I did my first commercial in 1976 shooting a anti-drug commercial which I wrote the script, shot the film and edited the tape and the cast were 5 friends and included scenes in the police station, jail and on the street at my house and in the garage.”

“Since arriving in Mexico 17 years ago I have shot a lot of travel destinations which is one of my favorite types of photography and since about 4 years ago I began shooting weddings and events as well which wasn’t part of my long term plan but just happened. I got hooked into weddings when a couple at the last minute didn’t have a photographer and I was asked to do the task and from that day on I have been getting requests for weddings and events and loving it.”

Kevin is in charge of all of the day to day operations of the magazine and is one of the primary photographers as well as Editor of the Magazine.  In charge of setting the direction of the magazine as well as market development and long term article and destination planning.  He is the leader of the Mundo Maya 2012 project for the production company and will be personally overseeing all of the production in the 5 states where filming and photography will be taking place.  Kevin and his company produced the destination film on the home page of Puerto Aventuras Travel which was a production developed in 2004 for distribution in 2005 worldwide on DVD to travel agents.

We are currently looking for travel writers as well as marketing and sales staff in the following areas:

Los Cabos (Baja California Sur)
Mexican Caribbean
Veracruz
Campeche
Yucatan
Oaxaca
Central Mexico
Mexico City
Jalisco
Guerrero
Chiapas

We are currently looking for Web Programmers and Graphic Design Staff in Mexico City.
If you are interested in any of the above positions please e-mail us with your resume and a summary of your experience in Travel and Tourism as well as what YOU can bring to the team. All candidates must read and write perfect english and spanish and have an excellent knowledge of the area you are going to cover.

Mexico City positions for Graphic Design and Web Programming should be creative go getters with experience, programmers with experience in PHP MySql, JQUERY, CSS, JAVA and XHTML programming languages.

info@mexicotravelmagazine.com

Rain continues to pound Cancun, Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya as Cold Front 9 remains almost stationary over the northwest of the Yucatan.

The national weather service in Mexico is reporting that Cold Front #9 has become stationary over the western part of the Caribbean and is generating unstable weather with clouds and rain across the entire Yucatan Peninsula.  This mass of air extends over the Gulf of Mexico and the eastern and central part of the country keeping temperatures below normal and bringing ice and freezing conditions to the north, central and eastern part of Mexico just like a Noreaster of “moderate” intensity with winds reaching as much as 40 mph / 60 kph around Istmo and the Gulf of Tehuatepec with elevated tides to 7 feet above normal along the south of the Gulf of Mexico, North and West of the Yucatan Peninsula.

A new cold front will begin to cross into Northern Mexico Wednesday November 2, 2011 and advance rapidly towards the Yucatan Peninsula bringing yes, you guessed it more clouds, winds and winter conditions again like a Noreaster with winds of up to 50 kph or 35 mph and should move into the area of the Gulf of Mexico by Thursday and towards the Yucatan Peninsula in time to ruin the weekend.

So, although the hurricane season is in her final stretch, conditions haven’t improved in the area.

Everything is done very special for this time of year and amazingly the 2nd of November is a national holiday, banks and businesses are closed, black glass plates adorned with traditional dishes like Mole, Tamales, Pumpkins, the special sweet bread called Pan de Muerto that is made with skulls and bones on top and candies in the shape of animales made from Sugar Cane and Caramel that originated from Spain and of course no offering would be complete without a coffin and skulls made of dulce or clay.

In Mexico death has brought with it a lot of beliefs, rituals and traditions, actually and above all areas in the country in the rural and suburban areas continue as do areas metropolitan like Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Morelia to prepare Alters of Offerings and dedicate ceremonies to the dead on this day.

Marigolds are the official flower of the dead here in Mexico so during the time from the middle of October to the first week in November you will find abundance of Marigolds for sale on the streets, in markets and everywhere including outside of the Cemetaries

Outside of the Cemeteries you will find endless numbers of vendors selling flowers and other items necessary for preparing the offering as well as on the streets. In Mexico City in the area of Chapultepec Park in the zone known as Polanco in Miguel Hidalgo the city lines the miles of Paseo de la Reforma with the traditional flower Marigolds (cempásúchil) of the Day of the Dead.

With the advent nothing peaceful Western culture began to combine the old beliefs with the idea of ??an afterlife, a transmutation of the soul of the deceased would expect the day of reckoning, while his mortal remains in the tombs remain.
Hence the practice of burial in a tomb that is, in turn, a tradition that stems from the time of the catacombs.

In Mexico, the practice of burying the dead in graves was initially at home and in the courts of the churches, I remember the first funeral that I went to in Mexico in a suburban area but from a rural family, the casket was in the living room of the house and thats where the friends and family came to visit. They told me that they had to bury their family member at the church in this small town because where they were now living had no yard to bury him.

Paseo de La Reforma in Mexico City's Chapultepec Park Area.

Another example of these burials you can see today still along side the Cathedral in Merida Yucatan where you can see on the floor endless headstones made of marble and onyx with the names and dates of the people buried there. During the Juarez regime the practice became considered “Insane” and was banned giving rise to public cemeteries.

In Western Culture from the days of the catacombs, graves have been considered places where mortals wait for their day of final reckoning or their “Judgement Day”. For this tombs have been redressed in various artistic forms, from sculptures, headstones with literary epithets and paintings that are symbolic respect to the beliefs of death and the final destiny of those passed.

This “grave art” has evolved in pagan ways (columns and obelisks, broken trees and branches, cut short willows, urns, mourners, skulls) is passed to the abundance of angels and souls, crosses and redemption problems. Times of literary and artistic sculptural forms occur in the cemeteries of Mexico since the middle of last century until the early decades of this, today there are only isolated cases of the old rituals, as burials have been standardized.

These representations or “grave art” have an decorative value, but they are more than that, they are testimonials to the body, the ideas or beliefs of social groups.

The actual ceremony to honor the “Night of the Dead” originated in Michoacan and was introduced to the spaniards and others that colonized this area of Mexico. Ancient Mexicans made ??significant rituals around death, which so impressed the first conquerors, through evangelization, introduced new ideas, resulting in a very strong religious syncretism.

An elaborate alter to honor the departed.

Formerly Tirepitío was an important religious center dedicated to the ancestors. There are offerings of yellow flowers (marigolds) and the day consecrated to the dead Mexicans rose to the ceiling of his house and shouted the names of their ancestors (primeval gods) towards the north, to receive the food they had put into the door.

Today there are 5 great places in Mexico to experience the Day of the Dead although the first we consider this year to be the most dangerous area due to the Drug War being fought there.

1. Jaracuaro, Arocutin and Cuanajo Michoacan which are 3 small towns in the state of Michoacan and excellent locations to really live the magic of the Day of the Dead.
2. San Andres Mixquic in Mexico City, yep thats right, here in Mexico City in the south of the city.
3. Ocotepec Morleos, near the weekend community of Cuernavaca (city of eternal spring) the celebration of the Holy Souls is one of the most representative traditions of the state, where the cult of death noted for its rich cultural and religious.
4. Huaquechula Puebla, a neighboring state to Mexico City and Veracruz where one of the most impressive rituals is represented.
5. El Xantolo, party of the dead in the indian communities of San Luis Potosi a state along the gulf coast north of Veracruz and Hidalgo where you can be part of this complex cultural, ethnic and religious covering various aspects of the worldview about life and death among Mesoamerican Indians.

Here are some photos representative of offerings during the day of the dead.

Another Alter honoring the departed where you can clearly see the photo of the departed, candles, food offerings and lots of flowers.

Preparing food for the offering of the departed usually their favorite foods, beverages and sweets.

What is amazing here in Mexico is the mixing of the old traditions that still exist all over Mexico in celebration of the Day of the Dead or Dia de Muertos and halloween.  Yesterday we saw so many kids out with family dressed for Halloween and carrying their Pumpkins looking for candy or pesos but the important note is the influence of American Culture here which isn’t so good in some aspects.

Like Halloween many Mexican families have given way to celebrate Christmas only where the true holiday in Mexico is 3 Kings Day which isn’t giving gifts on Christmas but actually receiving gifts the day Jesus did from the Kings.  More on that as we come closer to celebrating the birth of Christ in December.

Tropical Storm Rina passed southwest Cozumel around 9:45 PM with her center of circulation before making landfall a little further north than originally projected but off by less than 2 miles.  Rina made her landfall with torrential rain and high winds but thanks to the cold front pushing down from the northwest of the Gulf of Mexico and wind shear Rina was only packing winds of 70 mph with gusts to 85 mph.

Here you can see the current position of Tropical Storm Rina moving very very slowly north, just 9 miles to the west of Cancun Airport.

At the moment Rina continues over land as a tropical storm still packing winds of 70 miles per hour and is located still 15 kilometers or 9 miles to the west of Cancun and the Cancun International Airport.  Although the Cancun Airport remains open and functioning yesterday more than 90 flights were canceled in and out of Cancun from different areas including Denver and Canada from Frontier and Air Canada.

Yesterday afternoon ASUR the company that operates Cancun International Airport issued a bulletin urging passengers to contact their airlines and assure that they had a confirmed seat and flight as thousands of tourists flocked to the airport hoping to leave before the arrival of Rina.  The Secretary of Tourism for the State of Quintana Roo reported that there were 84,000 tourists from around the world currently at hotels in Cancun and the Riviera Maya including Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres and the Island of Cozumel.

At this time ferry service from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel and from Cancun to Isla Mujeres continues to be suspended and the Tropical Storm warnings from Punta Allen just south of Tulum too Progresso in the State of Yucatan remains in effect as Rina is expected to continue to dump torrential rains and winds all day today and most likely tomorrow.

Classes remain suspended the rest of this week and Playa del Carmen did activate the Emergency Shelters for evacuees although we don’t have numbers of who was evacuated or to where.  We are awaiting word on when the Dry Law (Ley Seca) will be lifted and the sale of alcoholic beverages can be sold and consumed at least maybe in restaurants with purchase of food.

Here are some initial images coming out of the first views post tropical storm.

You can see that not all of the trees stood the test of Rina as she made landfall in Playa del Carmen

Photo of the current conditions in Playa del Carmen

We will update as we get more information.

While the Cancun International Airport remains open many flights have been postponed and others like Frontier Airlines a charter airline with service from Denver Colorado has canceled 2 of their flights for today.  Below is the statement from the airline.

We’re watching, along with all of our guests in Mexico, Hurricane Rina’s approach towards the Yucatan Peninsula. Our operations teams are closely monitoring the storm’s track and timing, evaluating whether we will be able to safely operate in and out of Cancun.

As of 2:25 PM MDT on October 26, the following flights have been canceled. The below list may not be a comprehensive list of cancellations. Please check the current status of your flight for up-to-the-minute details.

All passengers on flights 038 and 039 on Thursday, October 27 are being automatically reaccomodated to a flight operating the afternoon of Saturday, October 29. Guest scheduled on the Thursday flights should monitor the email account used when booking the original airfare.

For those who would like to change their travel plans, we want you to have options, so we’ve implemented a policy which easily allows you to do so.

NOAA Hurricane Hunter Aircraft found a weaker Rina moving towards the coast of Mexico’s Riviera Maya at about 6 mph with winds of 75 mph she is now officially a Tropical Storm.

Mexico’s Government has changed the Warnings from Hurricane Warnings to Tropical Storm Warnings for the same areas as there is no change in the path of Rina.  One very important change is the post Cancun trajectory of Rina, instead of heading to Cuba as predicted originally, thanks to Cold Front #9 which is bringing freezing temperatures to northern and central Mexico will cause Rina once she emerges into the Northern Caribbean to make a turn to the south and head back towards Central Caribbean first as a tropical depression.

Satellite and updated projected path of Rina showing the potential for her turning back to the south after emerging into the northern Caribbean and making another pass at Mexico or the Cayman Islands.

It’s not common yet not unusual for a hurricane or tropical storm to get steered back towards the area it just came from, this time the blessing is that the cold front will knock the energy out of Rina to a Tropical Depression and unless she encounters no wind shear and no warmer waters she will just continue to dump copious amounts of rain and storms on the area for 5 more days.

Here are some images of preparations in Playa Del Carmen for Rina’s arrival.

Photo of an abandoned 5th Avenue Wednesday Afternoon in Playa del Carmen

Restaurants in Playa del Carmen like other businesses closed for business waiting for the arrival of hurricane Rina

Another Restaurant closed and boarded in the resort community of Playa del Carmen waiting for the arrival of Hurricane Rina in the early evening of thursday..

Hurricane Rina a Weak Category 1 Hurricane continues to move to the northwest on its projected path to make landfall around the area of Playacar in southern Playa del Carmen near the Ferry Crossing Pier.

The Zone of Cancun, Playa del Carmen the entire Riviera Maya from Puerto Morelos to Tulum including Cozumel and Isla Mujeres are under “ORANGE ALERT”.  Schools remain closed as does ferry service from mainland to the Islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, sale of alcoholic beverages has been suspended including in restaurants and supermarkets.

The Cancun International Airport remains open and no flights have been canceled however many flights are being rescheduled by the airlines themselves waiting to see what the outcome in the area is. If you have a flight in or out of Cancun International Airport contact your airline to make sure your flight is on schedule.

Satellite Image of Hurricane Rina Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 85 mph and gusts to 95 mph. Closing in on the Island of Cozumel and the Coast of the Rivera Maya near Playa del Carmen Quintana Roo

As you can see from the Satellite Image above the Center of Hurricane Rina although weaker in strength still has a defined eye and continues moving towards Playa del Carmen. All current models and the Mexican Government have the hurricane coming onto land around Playacar Playa del Carmen and moving across the entire city of Playa del Carmen moving to the north passing west of Cancun’s Airport and the City of Cancun.

Here you can see the projected path of Hurricane Rina over the next 36 hours from the moment it passes to the southwest of Cozumel through the time it passes west of Cancun.

Current Conditions in Playa del Carmen are deteriorating with torrential rain falling at times with high gusts of winds as a result of the outer bands from Rina.  All preparations should have been completed yesterday to assure safety, in the past experience during these types of events injuries and deaths from the hurricane or tropical storm happen in the last hours before impact to persons trying to prepare their homes or businesses.  Yesterday many continued to prepare their homes for the visit of Rina.

Residents in Playa del Carmen continue to prepare their homes boarding windows and doors

Hurricane Rina still a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110 mph …175kph and gusts to 225 kph or 140 mph is now moving to the west northwest as was predicted slowly at 4 mph.

The Mexican Government has extended the Hurricane Warning and Tropical Storm Warnings, hurricane warnings are now in effect from Cancun to San Felipe and a Tropical Storm Warning from San Felipe to Progresso which is on the Gulf coast near Merida. Also Tropical Storm Warnings continue in effect for Chetumal to Punta Gruesa.

Image of Hurricane Rina with current changes in direction and speed.

As you can see from the map Hurricane Rina is projected to pass slightly to the south west of Cozumel Island sometime during the day Thursday as she makes her way to landfall near the resort town of Playa del Carmen.

Tropical Storm Winds should start battering the coast of Mexico and Cozumel Island Later today, those who want to leave Cozumel before Rina makes her humble arrival must leave before 9PM Wednesday. All vehicles ferry service to and from Cozumel is already suspended and the vessels have been moved to Puerto Aventuras for safety.

After 9PM tonight all passenger ferry service will be suspended unless conditions require suspension prior as all passenger ferry vessels also are moved to Puerto Aventuras Marina for safe keeping. Nobody wants a repeat of Wilma where the ferry in Puerto Morelos waiting to long and was forced aground by the impending storm.

Hurricane Rina could still increase to a Category 3 hurricane sometime today or overnight as it continues in warm waters and moves closer to the coast and then take a turn more to the north northwest as it passes the southwestern tip of Cozumel in Quintana Roo and then turn more to the north before turning away towards Cuba.

Classes are suspended in all schools at all levels in and around Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen and south to Tulum including Cozumel since most of the schools are used as evacuation shelters.

Holbox Island has been given the Evacuation Order for tourists and residents to leave the island, all around Playa del Carmen businesses are boarding up their storefronts and preparing for the impact sometime Thursday of Hurricane Rina.

We will keep you up to the minute with information as we have it.

Hurricane Rina Category 2 hurricane moving towards the tourist destination of Playa del Carmen

As you can see from the current satellite image Hurricane Rina covers a very large area of the Caribbean Sea, right now a Category 2 Hurricane but expected in the next couple of hours to become a dangerous category 3 hurricane as she continues to meander to the west.  The National Weather Service in Mexico has issued a Hurricane Warning for the Yucatan Peninsula from Punta Gruesa (just north of Chetumal Quintana Roo the Capitol City in Quintana Roo) to Cancun and there is a Tropical Storm Warning in effect from Chetumal to Punta Gruesa as well as Belize.

Hurricane Rina is expected to continue slowly moving to the west for the next 24 hours before turning slightly to the north and gaining some forward speed and becoming a Category 3 hurricane.  If Rina follows the current models she is expected to pass over Cozumel Island, if you remember in 2005 Hurricane Wilma a Category 5 hurricane “the hurricane of the century” devastated Cozumel before moving off and crushing Puerto Morelos and Cancun with more than 36 hours of hurricane force winds.

Hurricane Rina doesn’t have the characteristics of Wilma and there are multiple cold fronts pushing down from the north bringing freezing temperatures to parts of Mexico and could help keep Rina from moving across the Yucatan Peninsula.  The bad news is that there is another surface trough in the south central caribbean that is showing increased showers and thunderstorm activity and it will continue to move west and has the chance of developing into the next hurricane of the season but not within the next 48 hours.

Businesses are cautiously beginning to prepare for the arrival of Rina although most are waiting until Wednesday with the hopes that the hurricane might turn more to the north and not affect the area.  At the same time Municipal workers are cleaning storm drains, cutting branches and trees in danger of being knocked down and securing traffic lights and overhead signs.  The electric company is also checking branches and trees that might affect power lines during high winds and removing them.

We still haven’t received information on the tourists situation whether people are making their way to the airports and or canceling arriving to the area but we will keep you posted on that.

The Local Civil Defense units are urging residents and businesses not to wait to prepare their homes and businesses as conditions are expected to get bad Wednesday as tropical storm winds extend nearly 150 kilometers from the center of the Hurricane.