Gustav almost hurricane strength

(CNN) - Tropical Storm Gustav, with winds of near 70 mph (110 km/h), neared hurricane status Friday afternoon, and forecasters predicted it would strengthen to a hurricane later in the day.

The storm had pushed away from Jamaica, leaving downed trees and damaged houses in its wake, and was eying the Cayman Islands and Cuba.

"Gustav could become a major hurricane before reaching western Cuba" on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said. A major hurricane, one of Category 3 or higher, has sustained winds of at least 111 mph.

As of 2 p.m. ET, Gustav was 125 miles (200 kilometers) east-southeast of Grand Cayman and about 425 miles (685 kilometers) east-southeast of Cuba's western tip, the NHC said. The storm was moving west-northwest at about 11 mph (19 km/h), NHC said. Forecasters expected it to turn toward the northwest later Friday, and continue on that track over the weekend. On that path, the NHC said, "The center of Gustav will pass near or over the Cayman Islands later today, over the western portions of Cuba on Saturday, and into the southern Gulf of Mexico on Sunday."