Mexico City  - Hurricane Bill gathered strength and grew into a major hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said Tuesday.

The US National Hurricane Center said Bill, the first hurricane of the season, strengthened into a category 3 hurricane with maximum wind speeds of 205 kilometres per hour (kph) overnight. Its centre was located about 900 kilometres off the Caribbean Leeward Islands.

The storm was moving west with a speeds of 24 kph, the centre said. A gradual turn north-west was expected later on Wednesday, and the storm was to pass the islands on the north. (dpa)