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CANCUN, Mexico - Tropical Storm Dolly unleashed showers on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula as it sped toward the Cancun area on Sunday, packing sustained winds of 72 kilometres per hour.

A tropical storm warning was in effect Sunday from Campeche to the border with Belize. At midday, the centre of the storm was about 320 kilometres southeast of Cozumel, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Dolly was moving northwest at 24 kilometres per hour on course to cross the Yucatan on Sunday night and reach the Gulf of Mexico on Monday morning.

American Thomas Smith, of Denver, said the storm would not affect his vacation plans, as light winds buffeted his hotel in Tulum, where a tropical storm warning was in effect.

"It looks like this thing will come and go pretty quick," said the 32-year-old. "We are going to stay a few more days here, just as we planned."

The governor of Quintana Roo state, where Cancun and most of Mexico's Caribbean coast are located, ordered the evacuation of small, low-lying islands Banco Chinchorro and Punta Allen.

"We want to clarify that these are preventive measures, we do not have reports that this will be a hurricane. ... However, we need to be alert on what might happen next," Gov. Gonzalez Canto said.

Cancun resident were stocking up on food and fuel, while some nearby hotels were still monitoring the storm closely before taking any measures.

"I respect all the storms and hurricanes, I'm checking periodically," said John Patrick, manager of the Ocho Tulum Hotel. "I try to keep everybody informed and let them make their own decisions."

Meanwhile, Hurricane Fausto was churning on Sunday far off Mexico's Pacific coast. Tropical Storm Cristobal strengthened near North Carolina, and Tropical Storm Bertha raced east toward Iceland after battering Bermuda last week, where it knocking out electricity to thousands at the Atlantic tourist destination.

Cancun, the largest resort on the coast, was ravaged by Hurricane Wilma in 2005.