Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Cuba as a powerful Category 3 hurricane, bringing destructive winds and heavy rainfall to the island nation. This marks the fifth major hurricane in the Atlantic this year and the strongest to occur this late in the year since 2020.
The storm rapidly intensified, with its winds increasing from 60 mph to 115 mph within a day, well exceeding the threshold for rapid intensification. As it moved over Cuba, Rafael slightly weakened to a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph.
Rapid intensification events like Rafael are becoming more common due to the warming of the atmosphere and oceans caused by fossil fuel pollution. Rafael is the ninth storm in the Atlantic basin to undergo rapid intensification this year.
After impacting Cuba, Rafael is expected to encounter challenges in the Gulf of Mexico and may make landfall as a weaker storm over the weekend, potentially affecting the US Gulf Coast or northeastern Mexico.
The exact threat Rafael poses to the Gulf Coast remains uncertain, but forecasts are becoming clearer as the storm moves into the Gulf on Thursday. In Cuba, Rafael has already caused significant damage, being the first Category 3 hurricane to hit the country since 2022.
Heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds have been lashing Cuba, prompting evacuations in the western Artemisa province. The national electric system was shut down as a precautionary measure due to the strong winds.
The Cuban civil defense has issued a state of alarm for western and central provinces, advising residents to limit their movements. Streets in Havana were deserted as the storm approached, with wind gusts reaching up to 93 mph in some areas.
This is the second hurricane to strike Cuba in recent weeks, following Hurricane Oscar in late October, which resulted in casualties and power outages. Rafael is the strongest hurricane to impact the northwestern Caribbean in November since 2009 and is forecast to be only the fifth November hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico since 1966.
