Rafael becomes post-tropical cyclone over Gulf as it brings life-threatening beach conditions to US coast
The National Hurricane Center warned that Rafael could bring life-threatening rip currents and surf to the Gulf Coast through the weekend, in addition to the flash flood threat in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Tropical Storm Rafael becoming less organized as late-season storm starts to fizzle in Gulf
The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Rafael is becoming less organized and is continuing to weaken as the late-season storm spins over the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
MIAMI – Rafael continued to weaken on Sunday as it spins over the Gulf of Mexico, and while the late-season storm won’t directly hit the U.S., it will bring life-threatening beach conditions to the Gulf Coast.
TROPICAL STORM RAFAEL TRACKER: FORECAST CONE, SPAGHETTI PLOTS, MAPS AND MORE
By Sunday afternoon, the tropical storm was downgraded to a post-tropical remnant low.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that Rafael could bring life-threatening rip currents and surf to the Gulf Coast through the weekend, in addition to the flash flood threat in Louisiana and Mississippi.
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Cuba and parts of the western Caribbean, however, have been the hardest hit by the storm, which brought damaging hurricane-force winds, flooding rain and a life-threatening storm surge.
A weather station in the Casablanca area of Havana reported a wind gust of 93 mph around the time Rafael made landfall Wednesday afternoon. Due to the storm's impacts, Cuba was plunged into darkness.
Where is Rafael?
As of the latest advisory from the NHC, Rafael is more than 345 miles north-northwest of Progreso, a port city on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, and is crawling north-northwest at 3 mph.
What's the forecast for Rafael?
The NHC said Rafael is expected to meander over the central Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night, and then make a turn to the south and south-southwest on Monday and Tuesday.