Hurricane Paula spins toward Mexico's east coast

(CNN) -- The weather system once known as Tropical Storm Paula is now Hurricane Paula after picking up brawn near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday morning.

As of 5 a.m. ET, Paula was about 230 miles (370 kilometers) south-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. The storm packed maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was headed northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).

The center of the hurricane is expected to approach the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday night.

A projection map shows Paula swiping past the Yucatan's coast on Wednesday. The storm is forecast to swing east toward Cuba by the end of this week.

A hurricane warning is in effect along the coast of Mexico from Punta Gruesa north to Cabo Catoche. The warning area includes Cozumel, Mexico.

Paula could dump 3 to 6 inches of rain over northern Belize, eastern parts of the Yucatan Peninsula and parts of western and central Cuba.

"Isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches are possible," the hurricane center said. "In areas of mountainous terrain, these rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides."

Thanks cnn
Senthilkc