Tropical Storm Rafael chugs past Jamaica as Cuba prepares for another hurricane hit

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Tropical Storm Rafael was chugging past occidental Jamaica connected Tuesday and was expected to fortify into a hurricane arsenic it headed toward Cuba.

The large wind was located 65 miles (105 kilometers) southwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica, connected Tuesday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) and was moving northwest astatine 13 mph (20 kph), according to nan National Hurricane Center successful Miami.

The halfway said it expected “steady to accelerated intensification” complete nan adjacent 24 to 36 hours. It was expected to proceed to walk by Jamaica done Tuesday afternoon, beryllium adjacent aliases complete nan Cayman Islands connected Tuesday nighttime and make landfall successful Cuba connected Wednesday.

"Rafael is expected to go a hurricane arsenic it passes adjacent nan Cayman Islands pinch further strengthening earlier it makes landfall successful Cuba," nan halfway said.

A hurricane informing was 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 large wind informing was successful effect for Jamaica and nan Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila. A tropical large wind watch was successful effect for nan Cuban provinces of Camaguey and Las Tunas and nan Lower and Middle Florida Keys from Key West to westbound of nan Channel 5 Bridge, arsenic good arsenic Dry Tortugas.

“The large wind is presently situated successful an atmospheric and oceanic situation that is rather conducive for strengthening,” nan hurricane halfway said.

In nan Cayman Islands, officials closed schools and authorities offices arsenic they urged residents to prepare. Long lines were reported astatine market stores arsenic nan large wind approached.

Jamaica besides closed down arsenic a precaution, pinch nan storm's outer winds battering nan land precocious Monday. “We impulse each Jamaicans to stay vigilant,” said Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie.

In Cuba, authorities said Monday nighttime that immoderate 37,000 group are nether removal orders successful acold eastbound Cuba, successful nan state of Guantanamo, owed to bad weather.

The land is still struggling to retrieve from Hurricane Oscar, which battered nan island astir 2 weeks agone aft making landfall successful nan eastbound portion of Cuba, sidesplitting astatine slightest six people. The large wind besides coincided pinch a large-scale blackout connected nan island.

Forecasters warned Rafael would unleash dense rains crossed nan occidental Caribbean that could lead to flooding and mudslides, pinch totals of 3 to 6 inches (7 to 15 centimeters) and up to 10 inches (25 cm) expected locally successful Jamaica and parts of Cuba.

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. A fewer tornadoes besides were expected Wednesday complete nan Keys and southwesternmost Florida mainland.

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.