Tropical Storm Rafael spins toward the Cayman Islands as Cuba prepares for hurricane hit

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Rafael chugged toward nan Cayman Islands connected Tuesday and was forecast to fortify into a hurricane en way to Cuba.

The large wind was located 105 miles (170 kilometers) southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, early Tuesday. 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.

“Rafael is forecast to go a hurricane successful nan northwestern Caribbean adjacent nan Cayman Islands pinch further strengthening earlier it makes landfall successful Cuba,” nan halfway said.

The large wind is expected to move adjacent Jamaica connected Tuesday morning, beryllium adjacent aliases complete nan Cayman Islands connected Tuesday nighttime and beryllium adjacent aliases complete occidental Cuba connected Wednesday.

A hurricane informing is 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 is successful effect for Jamaica and nan Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila. A tropical large wind watch is 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.

Rafael is expected to walk adjacent aliases complete nan Cayman Islands precocious Tuesday, pinch officials closing schools and authorities offices arsenic they urged residents to prepare. Jamaica besides closed down arsenic a precaution, pinch nan storm’s outer winds battering nan land precocious Monday.

Rafael was forecast to attack Cuba connected Wednesday. Cuban 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.