MIAMI , Florida ( CNN ) -- Hurricane Bill churned in the Atlantic Ocean toward the west-northwest as a major Category 3 hurricane Tuesday evening . Hurricane Bill is expected to continue toward the northwest Tuesday night and Wednesday . Around 8:30 p.m. , reports from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plane indicated Bill had strengthened , with maximum sustained winds near 125 mph . The National Hurricane Center said further strengthening is possible . When a hurricane 's sustained winds reach 111 mph , it reaches Category 3 status . When sustained winds reach 131 mph , it becomes a Category 4 storm . The center said Bill is a large storm , with hurricane force winds extending outward up to 45 miles ( 75 kilometers ) . Tropical force winds extend outward up to 175 miles ( 280 kilometers ) . The hurricane center expects Bill to turn to the northwest Wednesday . `` On this track , the core of Bill will be passing well to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands late Wednesday and early Thursday , '' forecasters said . The northern Leeward Islands are to the east of Puerto Rico . Weather models showed the storm also missing Bermuda as it heads nearer to the upper U.S. East Coast , CNN meteorologists said Tuesday . Although Bermuda may escape a direct hit from Bill , it might experience strong waves and fierce winds , meteorologists said . Track Hurricane Bill 's path across the Atlantic » . No computer models Tuesday showed Bill posing a danger to the United States . Bill , the first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic season , was heading west-northwest at near 16 mph as of Tuesday afternoon . It was centered about 635 miles east of the Leeward Islands . Hurricane-force winds extended up to 45 miles from the center , and tropical storm-force winds of at least extended up to 175 miles out . The remnants of Tropical Depression Ana continued to drop heavy rain across Hispaniola and Cuba on Tuesday , CNN meteorologists said . Forecasters expect Ana to wash South Florida in heavy rain as it passes through the Keys this week . There 's a slight chance that Ana could regenerate into a tropical cyclone after it moves into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico this week , the weather service said .
Bill has sustained winds of almost 125 mph early Thursday afternoon . No forecasts show the 2009 Atlantic season threatening U.S. ; Bill called a large storm . The National Hurricane Center may escape direct hit but could get strong waves , high winds . Bill is the first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic season .