“Rafael is expected to continue to move away from western Cuba over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico,” the National Hurricane Center predicts.
Hurricane Rafael appears to have veered to the west after making landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm, marking the fifth major hurricane of the year.
The hurricane had wind speeds of 115 mph when it slammed into the western tip of Cuba, causing the island nation’s power grid to crash.
Rafael has weakened to a Category 2 hurricane since it emerged back over the ocean, with wind speeds of 105 mph, and is heading west across the Gulf of Mexico in the direction of the Texas-Mexico border. Rafael was initially headed northwards towards Louisiana, but appears to be about to suddenly swing to the west after its foray with Cuba.
“A turn toward the west at a slower forward speed is expected later today, with this general motion continuing through Saturday. On the forecast track, Rafael is expected to continue to move away from western Cuba over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico this morning. Rafael is then forecast to move over the southern Gulf of Mexico for the next few days”, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a public advisory.
