Hurricane Rafael was moving west across the Gulf Coast of Mexico Friday, bringing the threat of life-threatening conditions to the southern United States coastline, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters said the storm could cause dangerous surf and rip-currents across the Gulf region in the coming days. Rafael ripped through Cuba on Thursday as a Category 3 storm, leaving millions without power.
As of Friday at 4 a.m. E.T., Rafael was located about 245 miles north-northeast of Progreso, Mexico, and was moving west at a rate of 9 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, according to the NHC.
4AM EST Nov 8: Swells generated by #Rafael are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the Gulf Coast for the next few days.
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) November 8, 2024
For the latest rip current risk and beach forecast visit https://t.co/JttG4XipJ4
For more information on Rafael visit… pic.twitter.com/0ENUYdeO7Z
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The storm is expected to weaken throughout the weekend, but it could still produce tropical storm-force winds — which is between 39 and 73 mph — up to 115 miles from its center.
Meanwhile, many Cubans were left picking up the pieces from Wednesday night, after a rocky few weeks in the Caribbean nation. In October, the island was hit by a one-two punch. First, it was hit by island-wide blackouts stretching on for days, a product of the island’s energy crisis. Shortly after, it was slapped by powerful hurricane that struck the eastern part of the island and killed at least six people.
More than 461 homes collapsed because of the hurricane, Cuban authorities said. More than 283,000 people from across the country had been evacuated from their homes, 98,300 of which were in Havana, they said.
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Rafael is the 17th named storm of the season, an average Atlantic hurricane season produces 14 named storms, seven of them hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
