Hurricane Rafael forecast to strengthen to powerful Category 3 storm before hitting Cuba

HAVANA (AP) — Hurricane Rafael barreled toward Cuba connected Wednesday, forecast to make landfall successful occidental Cuba arsenic a awesome Category 3 hurricane that forecasters pass could bring “life-threatening” large wind surges, winds and flash floods.

Thousands of group successful nan westbound of nan land were evacuated arsenic a prevention measurement earlier Rafael was expected to slam into Cuba connected Wednesday aft dumping rainfall connected Jamaica and nan Cayman Islands connected Tuesday.

Classes and nationalist carrier were suspended connected parts of nan land arsenic authorities issued an siren for nan incoming upwind for nan westbound of nan country. Workers secured buildings and cleaned up garbage on Havana’s coastline successful mentation for floods.

“Preparations to protect life and spot should beryllium rushed to completion,” warned nan National Hurricane Center successful Miami.

Rafael — presently classified arsenic a Category 2 hurricane — was located astir 60 miles (95 kilometers) east-southeast of nan Isle of Youth and astir 130 miles (205 kilometers) south-southeast of Havana Wednesday. It had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph) and was moving northwest astatine 14 mph (22 kph), according to nan center.

Forecasters expected nan large wind to later weaken complete Cuba earlier emerging successful nan southeastern Gulf of Mexico arsenic a hurricane.

Cubans person already been struggling pinch blackouts while recovering from different hurricane 2 weeks agone that killed astatine slightest six group successful nan eastbound portion of nan island.

The U.S. State Department issued an advisory for Cuba connected Tuesday afternoon, offering departure flights to non-essential unit and American citizens, and advising others to “reconsider recreation to Cuba owed to nan imaginable effect of Tropical Storm Rafael.”

On Tuesday morning, nan Cuban Civil Defense called connected Cubans to hole arsenic soon arsenic possible, because erstwhile nan large wind makes landfall “it’s important to enactment wherever you are.”

A hurricane informing was successful effect connected Wednesday for a information of nan Cayman Islands and nan Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and nan Isle of Youth.

A tropical large wind informing was successful effect for nan Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila, arsenic good arsenic nan little and mediate Florida Keys from Key West to westbound of nan Channel 5 Bridge, and Dry Tortugas.

The large wind connected Tuesday knocked retired powerfulness successful parts of Jamaica and unleashed flooding and landslides. The Jamaica Public Service, nan island’s energy provider, said successful a connection precocious Tuesday that impassable roads were preventing crews from restoring powerfulness successful immoderate areas.

Meanwhile, crews successful Little Cayman and Cayman Brac were expected to instrumentality retired early Wednesday to measure harm aft a nonstop deed precocious Tuesday.

Power outages were reported crossed nan Cayman Islands, and schools remained closed connected Wednesday.

“While conditions person improved connected Grand Cayman, residents are advised to workout utmost be aware connected nan roads and adjacent coastlines arsenic unsmooth seas and residual flooding risks whitethorn persist,” nan authorities said successful a statement.

Forecasters warned Rafael would unleash dense rains crossed nan occidental Caribbean that could lead to flooding and mudslides successful parts of Cuba and nan Cayman Islands.

Heavy rainfall besides was expected to dispersed northbound into Florida and adjacent areas of nan southeast U.S. during nan mediate to precocious portion of nan week. The Hurricane Center predicted large wind surges successful Florida could scope 1 to 3 feet successful Dry Tortugas and 1 to 2 feet successful nan Lower Florida Keys. A fewer tornadoes besides were expected Wednesday complete nan Keys and southwestern Florida.

Rafael is nan 17th named large wind of nan season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted nan 2024 hurricane play was apt to beryllium good supra average, pinch betwixt 17 and 25 named storms. The forecast called for arsenic galore arsenic 13 hurricanes and 4 awesome hurricanes.

An mean Atlantic hurricane play produces 14 named storms, 7 of them hurricanes and 3 awesome hurricanes.

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Associated Press newsman Megan Janetsky contributed to this study from Mexico City.

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Follow AP’s sum of Latin America and nan Caribbean astatine https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america