Rafael continued to intensify early Friday over the Gulf of Mexico. Image courtesy NOAA
Nov. 8 (UPI) — Rafael strengthen into a “major hurricane” early Friday, as forecasters warned the storm will cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the Gulf Coast for the next several days. The National Hurricane Center said in its 12 a.m. update that Rafael had reached maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, making it a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.
It was located about 275 miles north-northeast of Progreso, Mexico, and 610 miles east of the Mouth of the Rio Grande. It was moving west at 9 mph.
Forecasters expect the storm to move over the central Gulf of Mexico over the next few days.
Though no coastal watches or warnings were still in effect, those in the southern and southwestern Gulf of Mexico are urged to monitor the storm’s progress.
Forecasters state that additional strengthening is possible on Friday, but it should weaken over the weekend.
“Rafael is forecast to move slowly over the central Gulf of Mexico this weekend and early next week,” it said.
The storm moved into the Gulf of Mexico after making landfall in Cuba on Wednesday.