Tropical Storm Rafael Strengthens to Hurricane as It Heads Toward Cuba

A hurricane warning has been issued for the Cayman Islands and several Cuban provinces.

The National Hurricane Center’s forecasted track of Tropical Storm Rafael as of 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 4, 2024. (National Hurricane Center/National Weather Service).

Tropical Storm Rafael intensified into a Category 1 hurricane as it moved through the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean on Tuesday, heading toward Cuba, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Rafael reached maximum sustained winds of 75 mph at 7:20 p.m. ET on Nov. 5, moving northwest, with its center located 20 miles southeast of Little Cayman in the Caribbean Sea, the NHC said on X.