Hurricane Rafael weakens after landfall in Cuba and shifts west away from U.S. coast
Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm but has since weakened to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph. It is now forecast to turn west and move away from the U.S. Gulf coast. All watches and warnings for land have been canceled. Rafael is expected to weaken further to a tropical storm by Monday, with minimal impacts anticipated for South Florida. Gusty winds and higher rain chances will continue in southwest Florida. Cuba experienced significant damage, including power outages, as Rafael passed through. The storm caused flooding and destruction in Havana, which is still recovering from Hurricane Oscar two weeks ago.