MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Paloma strengthened into a hurricane Thursday as it barreled northward across the Caribbean towards Cuba, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
The Miami-based monitor reported that the storm, which formed early Thursday east of the Nicaragua-Honduras border, was packing sustained winds near 75 miles per hour (120 kilometers per hour) and was heading towards the Cayman Islands some 165 miles (270 kilometers) away.
Paloma was forecast to strengthen and was expected to hit the Caymans late Friday, before striking Cuba's south-central coast Sunday, the NHC said.
