Hurricane Rafael picked up in intensity and became a Category 2 storm Wednesday ahead of an expected landfall in Cuba later in the day.
Rafael's maximum sustained winds reached 110 mph, just 1 mph shy of a major Category 3 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The hurricane was about 60 miles east-southeast of the Isle of Youth in Cuba and was moving northwest at 14mph, according to the latest update from the NHC.
Rafael was expected to further strengthen and become a major hurricane before making landfall in Cuba later Wednesday.
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The eye of Hurricane #Rafael clearing out as the system undergoes—you guessed it—rapid intensification.
— John Morales (@JohnMoralesTV) November 6, 2024
It has gained 40 mph in windspeed in 12 hours, and 50 mph in 24. The hurricane is poised to become the season's 5th major hurricane, 161% of normal by this date in the season. pic.twitter.com/g6EirIY4QK
Hurricane-force winds, storm surge of 8-12 feet and rainfall amounts of 4-7 inches are in the forecast for portions of the Island.
The hurricane was forecast to weaken over Cuba but emerge into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane.
Local
The hurricane center's forecast track showed Rafael moving to the west through the Gulf and remaining a hurricane into the weekend.
Impact on South Florida
What about South Florida? Look for winds to pick up with gusts up to 35 mph for Broward and Miami-Dade by this afternoon and gusts even higher across the Keys, possibly in the 50-60 mph range.
Tropical storm warnings continue from Key West to Marathon. Strong storm potential is also running high across the lower and middle Keys, with isolated tornadoes possible.
Similar conditions are expected to continue overnight as Rafael makes its closest approach to our area.
The rain and storms will push out by Thursday afternoon, but not before 1-3 inches falls across the Keys.
Less rain is expected for Miami-Dade and Broward. Rafael will continue its trek west and eventually weaken to a tropical storm later this weekend in the northern/central Gulf of Mexico.
