As of 8 AM today, the eye of Hurricane Paula was moving over the Yucatan Channel between Mexico and Cuba, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said this morning. It was about 55 miles or 90 kilometers east of Cancun, Mexico, in the Yucatan Peninsula, and about 70 miles or 115 kilometers west-southwest of the most western tip of Cuba.

The storm is currently packing sustained winds of 100 mph or 160 kph as it moves north at about 9 mph or 15 kph. It was expected to continue moving north for the next few hours, then turn northeast and slow later Wednesday afternoon, the hurricane center in Miami said.

Hurricane warnings were in effect for the coast of Mexico from Punta Allen north to Cabo Catoche, including Cozumel, and for the Cuban province of Pinar del Rio. Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the Mexican coast from Cabo Catoche to San Felipe, although forecasters said the Yucatan warnings likely will be canceled later Wednesday afternoon or evening.

Tropical storm-force winds affecting Mexico are forecast to diminish later Wednesday, forecasters said. Tropical storm-force winds and conditions are expected to reach the western coast of Cuba by Wednesday afternoon, with hurricane conditions expected by Wednesday evening.