AT 10:00 AM EST, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RAFAEL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.4° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 81.9° WEST OR ABOUT 130 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA.
RAFAEL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MILES PER HOUR. AGENERAL NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS ANTICIPATED OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SOFOLLOWED BY A GRADUAL WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TURN IN THE GULF OFMEXICO. ON THE FORECAST TRACK RAFAEL IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NEAR OR JUSTEAST OF THE ISLE OF YOUTH DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND MAKE LANDFALLIN WESTERN CUBA LATER TODAY. RAFAEL IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THESOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 110 MILES PER HOURWITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED AND RAFAEL ISFORECAST TO BE A MAJOR HURRICANE WHEN IT MAKES LANDFALL IN CUBA LATERTODAY. RAFAEL IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN OVER CUBA BUT IS EXPECTED TO EMERGEINTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO AS A HURRICANE.
AT 10:00 AM EST, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RAFAEL WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 21.4° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 81.9° WEST OR ABOUT 130 MILES SOUTHSOUTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA.
RAFAEL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MILES PER HOUR. A
GENERAL NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS ANTICIPATED OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO
FOLLOWED BY A GRADUAL WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TURN IN THE GULF OF
MEXICO. ON THE FORECAST TRACK RAFAEL IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NEAR OR JUST
EAST OF THE ISLE OF YOUTH DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND MAKE LANDFALL
IN WESTERN CUBA LATER TODAY. RAFAEL IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE
SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 110 MILES PER HOUR
WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED AND RAFAEL IS
FORECAST TO BE A MAJOR HURRICANE WHEN IT MAKES LANDFALL IN CUBA LATER
TODAY. RAFAEL IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN OVER CUBA BUT IS EXPECTED TO EMERGE
INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO AS A HURRICANE.
