Florida Keys under evacuation order

A satellite image of Michelle early Saturday

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- South Florida braced Saturday for Hurricane Michelle, as the storm's outer bands reached Cuba.

Monroe County Emergency Management officials issued a mandatory evacuation of the Florida Keys Saturday at 7 a.m. EST, for all visitors and non-residents.

Boasting sustained winds of 130 mph, forecasters said they expect the storm will continue to gain strength, possibly becoming a Category 4 hurricane later Saturday.

MICHELLE INFORMATION At 7 a.m. EST Saturday STATUS Strong Category 3 Hurricane POSITION Near 19.0 degrees north latitude, 84.2 degrees west longitude, or about 205 miles (330 kilometers) south-southeast of the western tip of Cuba MOVEMENT The eye of Michelle has been meandering during the past few hours WIND SPEED Near 130 mph (210 kilometers per hour) with stronger gusts OUTLOOK Additional strengthening is likely in the next 24 hours, could become a Category 4 hurricane soon EXTRA INFORMATION In-depth: Hurricanes

The eye of Michelle meandered in the Caribbean Saturday morning, but the storm is expected to resume moving northward later in the day, moving over western Cuba late Saturday or early Sunday.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for the Florida Keys from Ocean Reef westward to the dry Tortugas Islands. The Cuban government has upgraded its own hurricane watch to a warning for the provinces from Pinar Del Rio eastward to Ciego de Avila, as well as the Isle of Youth.

The hurricane is expected to bear down on Cuba within 24 hours, which could get up to 20 inches of rain.

A tropical storm watch is also in effect for the island of Grand Cayman.

At 7 a.m. EST, the center of Michelle was about 205 miles (330 kilometers) south-southwest of the western tip of Cuba. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 kilometers) from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend up to 145 miles (230 kilometers).

In Havana, workers have been boarding up hotel windows and residents have been stocking up on water and canned food. On national television, President Fidel Castro said on Friday there was no panic in the country and that residents were prepared to face any eventuality. He joked about the hurricane, telling Cubans they had faced worse than that.

Michelle is blamed for at least 10 deaths in Central America. Heavy rain from the storm system has forced thousands of people from their homes.

-- CNN Havana Bureau Chief Lucia Newman contributed to this report