Hurricane Rafael is gaining strength as it heads toward western Cuba, with sustained winds reaching 90 mph early Wednesday. The storm, now a Category 1 hurricane, could intensify to near major hurricane status by landfall, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Rafael is projected to impact western Cuba by Wednesday evening, bringing severe winds, torrential rain, and a dangerous storm surge of up to 9 feet. Hurricane warnings are active across several Cuban provinces, including Havana, and the Cayman Islands have issued a shelter-in-place advisory as the storm approaches.
The hurricane is expected to bring heavy rains of up to 10 inches in mountainous regions of Jamaica and Cuba, leading to flash flooding and mudslides. Rafael is likely to track into the Gulf of Mexico, with rain and tropical storm conditions reaching the Florida Keys by midweek, although it may weaken over cooler waters.
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