MIAMI – Raphael continues to intensify, strengthening into a Category 2 hurricane early Wednesday morning. Forecasters said the late-season storm could approach a major storm. hurricane force when it makes landfall in Cuba.

Millions of people along the We Gulf Coast Texas has Florida keep their eyes glued to the hurricane that is hitting Cuba with destructive hurricane force. windsa danger of death storm surge and destructive waves along the coast.

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The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that although rapid strengthening is forecast, Rafael is expected to weaken briefly as it crosses western Cuba. However, the storm is expected to remain at hurricane force (74 mph or greater) as it emerges into the Gulf of Mexico.

Rafael lashed parts of the Western Caribbean on his journey to Cuba and the Gulf of Mexico. The NHC said hurricane conditions are expected over parts of the Cayman Islands until at least Wednesday morning.

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Tropical storm Weather conditions are expected across parts of west-central Cuba and the lower and middle Florida Islands through Wednesday evening.

Heavy rain is expected in the western Caribbean until Thursday morning, particularly in the Cayman Islands and western Cuba. The NHC said rainfall totals of 4 to 7 inches are expected in the Cayman Islands and Cuba, with locally higher amounts of up to 10 inches over the highest terrain. This raises concerns regarding flash flood And mudslides.

In the lower and middle Florida Keys, rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected.

Forecasters are also concerned about the possibility of a life-threatening storm surge. The NHC said storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is expected in the Cayman Islands and 8 to 12 feet in onshore wind areas along the southern coast of Cuba, including the Isle of Youth .

Storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is forecast for the Dry Tortugas and 1 to 2 feet in the lower Florida Keys.

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According to the latest NHC advisory, Rafael is less than 100 miles east-southeast of the Isle of Youth and moving northwest at 14 mph.

Rafael has maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. Official forecasts call for the hurricane to intensify with winds reaching 110 mph, making it a high-end Category 2 hurricane.

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A hurricane warning remains in effect for Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, as well as the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and the Isle of Youth.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the lower and middle Florida Keys from West Key at the Channel 5 Bridge, as well as for the Dry Tortugas. The Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila are also included in the tropical storm warning.

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According to the NHC, Rafael is expected to continue moving northwest for one or two days, followed by a gradual turn west-northwestward into the Gulf of Mexico. On this track, Rafael is expected to move over western Cuba later Wednesday and head toward the southeastern Gulf of Mexico Wednesday evening.

From there, computer forecast models disagree on Rafael’s exact direction.

“It is too early to determine what impacts, if any, Rafael may have on portions of the northern Gulf Coast,” the NHC said. “Residents in this area should monitor forecast updates regularly.”

Original article source: Rafael strengthens into a Category 2 hurricane as Cuba braces for damaging winds and potentially deadly storm surge