Rafael strengthens into Category 2 hurricane as Cuba braces for damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge

MIAMI – Hurricane Rafael continues to intensify and is expected to beryllium adjacent awesome hurricane spot erstwhile nan late-season tropical strategy makes landfall successful Cuba connected Wednesday.

Millions of group on nan U.S. Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida are now keeping their eyes connected nan hurricane arsenic it slams Cuba pinch damaging, hurricane-force winds, a life-threatening large wind surge, and destructive waves on nan coast.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that while accelerated strengthening is forecast, Rafael is expected to concisely weaken while spinning crossed occidental Cuba. However, nan large wind is forecast to stay astatine hurricane spot (74 mph aliases higher) arsenic it emerges into nan Gulf of Mexico.

The late-season hurricane has been lashing portions of nan occidental Caribbean connected its travel toward Cuba and nan Gulf of Mexico. The NHC said hurricane conditions are expected complete portions of nan Cayman Islands done Wednesday morning.

Tropical large wind conditions are expected successful parts of west-central Cuba and nan little and mediate Florida Keys into Wednesday night.

Heavy rainfall is expected crossed nan occidental Caribbean done early Thursday, particularly crossed Jamaica and nan Cayman Islands and into occidental Cuba.

The NHC said rainfall totals of 4-7 inches are expected successful nan Cayman Islands and Cuba, pinch locally higher amounts of up to 10 inches successful nan higher terrain. That is starring to concerns of flash flooding and mudslides.

In nan little and mediate Florida Keys, rainfall totals of 1-3 inches is expected.

Forecasters are besides concerned astir nan imaginable for a life-threatening large wind surge. The NHC said a large wind surge of 1-3 feet is expected successful nan Cayman Islands, and 8-12 feet successful areas of onshore winds on nan confederate seashore of Cuba, including nan Isle of Youth.

A large wind surge of 1-3 feet is forecast for Dry Tortugas and 1-2 feet successful nan little Florida Keys.

As of nan latest advisory from nan NHC, Rafael is much than 100 miles southeast of nan Isle of Youth and moving northwest astatine 14 mph.

Rafael has maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane. The charismatic forecast calls for Rafael to intensify pinch winds of 110 mph, making it a high-end Category 2 hurricane.

A Hurricane Warning remains successful effect for nan Cayman Islands and nan Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and nan Isle of Youth.

A Tropical Storm Warning remains successful effect for nan little and mediate Florida Keys from Key West to nan Channel 5 Bridge, arsenic good arsenic for Dry Tortugas. The Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila are besides included successful nan Tropical Storm Warning.

What’s nan forecast for Hurricane Rafael?

According to nan NHC, Rafael is expected to proceed moving northwest for nan adjacent time aliases two, followed by a gradual move toward nan west-northwest successful nan Gulf of Mexico. On that track, nan NHC said Rafael is expected to move complete occidental Cuba later Wednesday and move into nan southeastern Gulf of Mexico connected Wednesday night.

From there, machine forecast models are successful disagreement arsenic to wherever precisely Rafael is headed next.

“It is excessively soon to find what, if any, impacts Rafael could bring to portions of nan bluish Gulf Coast,” nan NHC said. “Residents successful this area should regularly show updates to nan forecast.”