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Hurricane Rafael heads toward Gulf of Mexico after Category 3 landfall in Cuba

Umito November 7, 2024

The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center maintains Rafael as a Category 2 storm as it crosses Cuba and enters the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. November 6, 2024.

Editor’s note: Hurricane Rafael appeared in the Gulf of Mexico after making landfall in Cuba. Updates on this story have been moved here.

MIAMI – Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday evening as Category 3 hurricane before beginning to weaken as it moved toward the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. However, Cuba continues to be hit by devastating winds, flood rain and danger of death storm surge.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Rafael made landfall at 4:15 p.m. ET in Cuba’s Artemisa province, just east of Playa Majana. Maximum sustained winds upon landing, the speed was estimated at 115 mph. The interaction with the earth has weakened Rafael to such an extent Category 2 hurricane as it moved further inland, across western Cuba.

As the island nation is destroyed by Rafael, millions along the coast WE Gulf Coast Texas has Florida are keeping their eyes on the hurricane to see where the storm is headed after it emerges in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday evening.

HURRICANE RAFAEL TRACKER: FORECAST CONE, SPAGHETTI PLOTS, MAPS, ALERTS AND MORE

Video shows winds from Hurricane Rafael beginning to hit the Cayman Islands as the storm approached the area on Tuesday, November 6, 2024.

The NHC said that although Rafael briefly weakened as it crossed western Cuba, the storm was expected to remain at hurricane strength (74 mph or above) as it entered the Gulf.

Rafael crisscrossed parts of the western Caribbean on his journey to Cuba and the Gulf of Mexico, and the NHC expressed concern that torrential rains could bring flash flood And mudslides on the heights of Cuba.

A weather station in the Casablanca region of Havana reported a wind gust of 150 km/h at the time of Rafael’s landfall.

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Waves and winds rise in Key West, Florida following Hurricane Rafael on November 6, 2024.
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Waves and winds rise in Key West, Florida following Hurricane Rafael on November 6, 2024.
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Workers protect a facility ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. Cuba was preparing for Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to make landfall on the island as a hurricane on November 6, thus compounding the misery caused by a massive power outage and Hurricane Oscar. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)
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People protect the windows of a restaurant with cardboard before the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. Cuba was preparing for tropical storm Rafael, which is expected to make landfall on the island as a hurricane on November 6, compounding the misery caused by a massive power outage and Hurricane Oscar. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Fishermen protect their boats before the arrival of Tropical Storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. Cuba was preparing for Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to make landfall on the island as a hurricane on November 6, thus compounding the misery caused by a massive power outage and Hurricane Oscar. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)
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previousfollowing

Fishermen remove their boats from the water before the arrival of Tropical Storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. Cuba is preparing for Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to make landfall on the island as a hurricane on November 6, thus worsening the misery. caused by a massive power outage and Hurricane Oscar. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Waves and winds rise in Key West, Florida following Hurricane Rafael on November 6, 2024.
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Tropical storm conditions are expected in the lower and middle Florida Keys through Wednesday evening. Rafael’s outer bands could turn tornadoes through parts of the Keys and southwest Florida as it heads north overnight.

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 8 inches are expected in parts of Cuba, with locally higher amounts of up to 12 inches in the highest terrain. An additional 2 to 4 inches could fall on the Cayman Islands.

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

This video shows winds picking up across Key West as Hurricane Rafael turns hundreds of miles south into the Caribbean Sea. Key West is under a tropical storm warning and forecasters say the late-season storm could approach major hurricane strength before making landfall in Cuba on Wednesday.

Forecasters are also concerned about the possibility of a life-threatening storm surge. The NHC said a storm surge of 9 to 14 feet above normal high tide levels is possible in areas of outflow winds along the southern coast of Cuba, within the warning zone of hurricane, including the Isle of Youth.

Storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is forecast for the Dry Tortugas National park area, with 1 to 2 feet expected in the lower Florida Keys.

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Where is Hurricane Rafael?

This graphic shows the status of Hurricane Rafael.
(FOX Weather)

According to the latest NHC advisory, Rafael is approximately 55 miles west-northwest of Havana, Cuba, and moving northwest at 13 mph.

Rafael has maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane.

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Alerts issued for Hurricane Rafael.
(FOX Weather)

A Hurricane Warning remains in effect throughout western Cuba, including Havana.

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. Central Cuba is also under a tropical storm warning.

WHAT TO DO WHEN HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR YOUR CITY

What are the forecasts for Hurricane Rafael?

Hurricane Rafael’s forecast cone.
(FOX Weather)

According to the NHC, Rafael is expected to continue moving northwestward overnight, followed by a gradual turn westward or west-northwestward into the Gulf of Mexico. On this track, Rafael should then emerge overnight in the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico.

From there, computer forecasting models disagree as to exactly where Rafael is headed.

“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.”