While Tropical Storm Rafael winds remained consistent Monday night, the storm is forecast to strengthen Tuesday and become a hurricane Wednesday, bringing destructive winds and heavy rainfall to the western Caribbean and southern Florida by midweek.
Rafael is located approximately 105 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and 295 miles southeast of Grand Cayman, according to the Tuesday morning update from the National Hurricane Center. The storm is expected to unleash damaging winds, dangerous storm surge, and torrential rainfall first in Jamaica and the Grand Cayman Islands beginning Tuesday and then western Cuba on Wednesday. Parts of the Florida Keys could even see impacts beginning Wednesday evening.
The current forecast calls for Rafael to be at least a high end Category 1 hurricane at the time of landfall in Cuba Wednesday. In the Caribbean, Rafael has begun unleashing heavy rainfall, particularly affecting Jamaica. Forecasts suggest that western Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and could receive between 3 to 6 inches of rain, with parts of Jamaica and Cuba potentially seeing up to 9 inches. This deluge raises the risk of flash flooding and mudslides, especially in Jamaica’s mountainous regions.
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