center said . Paula 's tropical storm-force winds have expanded to 70 miles -LRB- 110 km -RRB- outward from the center , altering the landscape of a storm that has been roughly half that size for most of its duration . Forecasters said the storm was likely to stick to an east to east-northeast track , moving across western and central Cuba Thursday night and Friday . The hurricane center said that tropical storm force winds should continue to spread eastward across western and central Cuba Thursday night , primarily along the north coast . The center discontinued an earlier tropical storm watch also was for the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas . Emergency management officials in the Keys said Wednesday they were keeping an eye on the progress of Paula and expected some gusty winds and rain , but no protective actions had been initiated . Forecasters predict the center of Paula will remain south of the Keys . Paula is likely to dump an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain over portions of western and central Cuba over the next two days , the National Hurricane Center said . Total maximum amounts could be 10 inches in
Miami , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tropical Storm Paula pushed across western Cuba Thursday evening with wind gusts just under hurricane strength in some places , bringing heavy rain and high winds to the island nation , forecasters said . The storm is gradually weakening and is expected to become a tropical depression Friday , the Miami , Florida-based National Hurricane Center said As of 8 p.m. ET , the center of Paula was about 25 miles -LRB- 45 kilometers -RRB- east of Havana , the center said . It was moving east at 14 mph -LRB- 22 kph -RRB- . Paula passed just south of the Cuban capital around 6 p.m. Thursday -- with sustained winds of 41 mph -LRB- 67 kph -RRB- and a gust of 54 mph -LRB- 87 kph -RRB- recorded in Havana -- after making landfall at about noon near Puerto Esperanza . The storm 's maximum sustained winds have weakened to 55 mph -LRB- 90 kph -RRB- , the center said Thursday night , but wind gusts of 68 mph had been recorded earlier near Puerto Esperanza . Stronger gusts were confined to a small area near the storm 's center , the