ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricane Rafael strengthened into a major hurricane before making landfall in Cuba later Wednesday.
Rafael is expected to remain in an environment that is primed for rapid development before it approaches Cuba Wednesday afternoon. Major hurricane status is Category 3 or higher.
Along with damaging winds, flash flooding and mudslides are expected along the higher terrain in western Cuba.
Rafael has maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and is moving northwest at 14 mph.
Heavy rainfall also was expected to spread north into Florida and nearby areas of the southeast U.S. during the middle to late part of the week. The Hurricane Center predicted storm surges in Florida could reach 1 to 3 feet in Dry Tortugas and 1 to 2 feet in the Lower Florida Keys. A few tornadoes also were expected Wednesday over the Keys and southwestern Florida.
The hurricane is expected to move over western Cuba on Wednesday and move into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico later Wednesday night.
Once the storm emerges into the Gulf of Mexico, it will be entering less favorable conditions for maintaining its intensity.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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