Tropical Storm Rafael was moving in the Gulf of Mexico. Image courtesy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Nov. 8 (UPI) — Rafael has weakened into a tropical storm as slowly moved in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday. In the 9 a.m. CST Saturday update from the National Hurricane Center, the 18th named storm of the Atlantic season had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph as it moved west-northwest at 6 mph. It was about 290 miles north-northwest of Progresso, Mexico.
Rafael was downgraded to a tropical storm in the 9 p.m. Friday update.
There are no coastal watches or warnings.
Rafael is forecast to “slow down or meander over the central Gulf of Mexico Sunday into Monday then turn toward the south or south-southwest by Monday night.” NHC said.”
Life-threatening swells are forecast to spread across most of the Gulf of Mexico through the weekend, NHC said.
Heavy rainfall also will lead to potentially significant flash flooding across portions of the Piney Woods and Golden Triangle of Southeast Texas and Southwest and Southeast Louisiana through Sunday morning.
Early Friday Rafael was a “major hurricane” with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.
The storm moved into the Gulf of Mexico after making landfall in Cuba on Wednesday.