Paloma remains a category 1 hurricane with sustained winds near 75 mph.

At 9:00 pm CST, Paloma was located near 17.2 degrees North latitude and 81.8 degrees West longitude.

The center of the storm is about 150 miles south-southwest of Grand Cayman, or about 270 miles west-southwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Hurricane Paloma continues to show signs of better organization as it moves toward the north at 8 mph.   

Paloma will continue to travel on a northerly path until Friday evening. 

Then, it will gradually veer to the northeast.

Warm surface water and light wind shear are just two of several environmental conditions that favor further strengthening. 

As Paloma travels across the northern Caribbean, it is forecasted to intensify into a category 3 hurricane. 

Sustained wind speeds over 115 mph, with gusts around 140 mph, are anticipated as the storm makes landfall along the south-central coast of Cuba on Sunday morning. 

Paloma will weaken to a category 1 hurricane after it moves across Cuba and exits into the Atlantic Ocean. 

Once in the colder waters of the Atlantic, Paloma is expected to weaken to a depression by Tuesday afternoon.

Hurricane Paloma is the 8th hurricane of the 2008 hurricane season. 

The Atlantic Hurricane season officially ends on November 30.