Rafael strengthened into a low-end hurricane Tuesday night as it approached the Cayman Islands in the central Caribbean Sea, the National Hurricane Center said. The rare November hurricane was expected to continue churning northwest toward western Cuba and enter the Gulf of Mexico this week,

An active 2024 Atlantic Hurricane season continues as Rafael strengthens into a category 1 storm. It's expected to batter Cayman Islands and Cuba before swinging into the Gulf of Mexico.

Rafael is expected to continue to intensify into major hurricane strength on Wednesday after becoming a hurricane the prior night. It began as a Category 1 before strengthening into a Category 2 hurricane on Wednesday morning.