ORLANDO, Fla. -- The National Hurricane Center's projected path of movement shows Ike continuing to track south before launching into the Gulf of Mexico as a powerful hurricane next week.

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MAPS: Projected Path Of Movement

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Ike's predicted path continued to move parts of Central Florida out of the system's cone of uncertainty this weekend.

"There is some slightly more encouraging news concerning Ike and the forecasting track and how (Central Florida) factors into the scenario," Local 6 meteorologist Elizabeth Hart said.

The predicted path showed the Category 4 storm heading into eastern Cuba and moving along the island on Monday. The storm should weaken as it passes through Cuba.

On Tuesday, the storm is expected to leave Cuba and head north and west into the Gulf of Mexico.

Ike could be a Category 3 storm in the middle of the Gulf on Thursday.

"All indications are that Ike is going to stay a major, major problem for the foreseeable future," Hart said.

The weekend path continues to keep a portion of the region in the storm's cone.

"(Central Florida) is not out of the woods but we continue to see that shifting," Hart said. "We are just in the fringe of the eastern part of the cone. We can't completely let our guard down yet.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist warned Floridians about Ike on Saturday.

"There is always uncertainty with these forecast tracks as you are aware but forecasters tell us Ike could be threaten Florida by Tuesday," Crist said.

Visitors to the Florida Keys are under a mandatory evacuation order.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.