Rafael grows to hurricane strength as it heads for Gulf of Mexico

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Rafael intensified into a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday evening near the Cayman Islands. Image courtesy of NOAA

Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Rafael intensified into a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday evening in the Caribbean near the Cayman Islands as it headed for the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said.

The National Hurricane Center designated Rafael the 11th hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season at 7:20 p.m. EDT Tuesday, locating it about 20 miles southeast of Little Cayman and 305 miles south-southeast of Havana, Cuba.

It was packing sustained winds of 75 mph and was moving northwest at 15 mph, the NHC said in the update.

Forecasters expect the storm to move near or over the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night. They said the Caribbean islands should expect to be lashed with damaging hurricane-force winds, a dangerous storm surge and destructive waves.

Rafael may experience additional strengthening before it reaches western Cuba on Wednesday, the forecasters said, adding that it will then enter the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday night.

"It is too soon to determine what, if any, impacts Rafael could bring to portions of the northern Gulf Coast," the NHC said in a 4 p.m. discussion on the storm. "Residents in this area should regularly monitor updates to the forecast."

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Cayman Islands and the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanza and the Isle of Youth.

A tropical storm warning was issued for the Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila, as well as for the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to the west of the Channel 5 Bridge and the Dry Tortugas.

The Cuban provinces of Camagüey and Las Tunas are also under a tropical storm watch.

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, the NHC said.

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.

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