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MIAMI -- Forecasters say Hurricane Irene has gotten a bit stronger as it starts lashing the southeastern Bahamas.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Wednesday afternoon that Irene's winds had strengthened to about 120 mph. The storm was centered about 250 miles southeast of the Bahamian capital of Nassau, though forecasters say hurricane conditions are already occurring over the southeastern Bahamas.

Irene is expected to get stronger over warm ocean waters and could become a Category 4 storm with winds of at least 131 mph by Thursday.

Irene was moving to the northwest at 12 mph on its path to the U.S. East Coast.

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