Category 2 Hurricane Rafael was moving into the Gulf of Mexico early Thursday. Image courtesy NOAA
Nov. 7 (UPI) — Rafael was moving into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico early Thursday after making landfall Wednesday in western Cuba as a Category 3 storm.
The National Hurricane Center said in its 1 a.m. EST Thursday update that the storm was located about 115 miles west-northwest of Havana and about 155 miles west-southwest off Key West in Florida.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and is moving northwest at 13 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
As for the storm’s possible threat to the U.S. mainland, NHC forecasters said Rafael is expected to track due west this week and will dissipate into a tropical storm late this weekend or Monday, somewhere in the middle of the Gulf, south of Louisiana.
A hurricane warning was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana and Mayabeque.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge and the Dry Tortugas.
Forecasters said Caribbean islands should expect to be lashed with damaging hurricane-force winds, a dangerous storm surge and destructive waves for the next few hours.
In parts of western Cuba, NHC says “life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds and flash-flooding” can be expected.
Tropical storm conditions are expected in parts of the lower and middle Florida Keys.
Earlier on Wednesday, the government of Cuba had discontinued its tropical storm warning for the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila and Sancti Spiritus.
According to the NHC, Rafael’s general northwestward motion is anticipated during the next day or so, followed by a gradual west-northwestward turn of the storm in the Gulf of Mexico.
Rafael continued to strengthen before making landfall in western Cuba on Wednesday afternoon. The forecasters added that it could weaken while traveling over the island, but was expected to maintain hurricane strength as it entered the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.
Forecasters warn that Rafael will bring “heavy rain” across portions of western Caribbean — including Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and portions of Cuba — through early Thursday. Totals of between 3 and 6 inches are expected, with some areas to receive as much as 10 inches.
Flash flooding and mudslides could occur, according to the NHC.
Storm surges could raise water levels by as much as 3 feet above normal tide levels in areas in the Cayman Island on Tuesday and as much as 9 feet along the southern coast of Cuba.