Hurricane Rafael will impact Gulf of Mexico production on Nov. 7 & 8

[dan_s]

As Tropical Storm Rafael barrels across the Caribbean, the National Hurricane Center predicts that powerful winds might impact the U.S. by Thursday night.

The storm, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane late Tuesday evening, is currently just south of Jamaica, and is moving northwest in the direction of the Cayman Islands and Cuba.

After making landfall in Cuba, the storm is expected to sideswipe the Florida Keys and slam into Louisiana at the weekend, though the forecast this far out is still unclear.

"Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Steady to rapid intensification is forecast over the next 24 to 36 hours, and Rafael is forecast to become a hurricane in the northwestern Caribbean near the Cayman Islands with further strengthening before it makes landfall in Cuba," the NHC said in a public advisory.

"Rafael is forecast to be near hurricane intensity when it passes near or over the Cayman Islands by tonight where damaging hurricane-force winds, a dangerous storm surge, and destructive waves are expected. Rafael should reach western Cuba and the Isle of Youth on Wednesday," the NHC said in a forecast discussion.

"Tropical storm conditions are expected in Jamaica through early this afternoon. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the Lower and Middle Florida Keys beginning late Wednesday or Wednesday night."

Rafael will then carry on across the Gulf of Mexico in the direction of Louisiana's and Mississippi's Gulf Coasts, potentially making landfall on Saturday, though exactly how strong the storm will be at this point is still unknown.


"It is too soon to determine what, if any, impacts Rafael could bring to portions of the northern Gulf Coast," the NHC said.