The Category 3 Hurricane Rafael become a “major” hurricane and is about to make landfall in western Cuba. Image courtesy NOAA
Nov. 5 (UPI) — The Category 3 Hurricane Rafael become a “major” hurricane and is about to make landfall in western Cuba, forecasters said Wednesday.
The National Hurricane Center said in its 4 p.m. EST Wednesday update that the storm was located about 70 miles north of the Isle of Youth and about 45 miles south-southeast of Havana.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and is moving northwest at 13 mph.
As for the storm’s possible threat to the U.S. mainland, NHC forecasters said Rafael is expected to track due west this week and will dissipate into a tropical storm late this weekend or Monday, somewhere in the middle of the Gulf, south of Louisiana.
A hurricane warning was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and the Isle of Youth.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos along with the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge and the Dry Tortugas.
Forecasters said Caribbean islands should expect to be lashed with damaging hurricane-force winds, a dangerous storm surge and destructive waves.
In parts of western Cuba, NHC says “life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds and flash-flooding” can be expected.
Earlier on Wednesday, the government of Cuba had discontinued its tropical storm warning for the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila and Sancti Spiritus.
According to NHC on Wednesday, Rafael’s general northwestward motion is anticipated during the next day or so, followed by a gradual west-northwestward turn of the storm in the Gulf of Mexico.
Rafael continued to strengthen before its expected landfall in western Cuba on Wednesday afternoon, the forecasters said. They added that it could weaken while traveling over the island, but is expected to maintain hurricane strength when it enters the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday night.
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, according to the NHC.
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.
