Hurricane Rafael strengthens to Category 2 as it approaches Gulf of Mexico
Hurricane Rafael is currently a Category 2 storm, located 260 miles west-northwest of Havana, Cuba, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. It is moving west-northwest at 9 mph. Forecasters expect Rafael to move over the southern Gulf of Mexico in the coming days. The storm is predicted to weaken starting Friday and continuing through the weekend. Swells from Rafael will affect most of the Gulf of Mexico, creating dangerous surf and rip current conditions.