into a hurricane has kept islands to Bermuda's south watchful.

And US forecasters were yesterday concerned that it could hit southern Florida by the weekend.

Irene -- some 1,000 nautical miles from Bermuda -- was not packing strong winds. But weather forecasters were concerned that the system could grow.

"Right now the forecast brings it to hurricane intensity within 36 hours, at which time it will be off the western tip of Cuba,'' John Guiney of the National Hurricane Centre said yesterday.

But even if Irene does build strength, she is still only expected to be a weak Category One system with winds of about 80 mph.

In the Cayman Islands, a tropical storm warning was issued with residents advised to prepare for high winds and seas.

In Cuba, a hurricane watch was in effect indicating that hurricane conditions could arrive within 36 hours.

The Bermuda Weather Service issued the first advisory on Irene yesterday. She was not thought to be a threat to the Island. Her closest point of approach was expected to be at 3 p.m. on Saturday, when she would be 1,082 nautical miles west south west of us.