Late-season Caribbean hurricane expected to hit Cuba this week
Al Jazeera
If it forms, Rafael would be the 11th hurricane of the 2024 season and could strike western Cuba as a Category 1 storm.
Miami, Florida, United States – A hurricane is expected to form in the Caribbean and bring heavy rain and mudslides to Cuba before heading into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, according to the US National Weather Service.
Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to strengthen into a hurricane on Monday as it approaches Jamaica and could also bring heavy rainfall to the Florida Keys and parts of the southeastern US later in the week, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
Jamaica and Cuba could have up to 230mm (9 inches) of rain, potentially causing flooding.
The government of Cuba has issued a Hurricane Watch for the capital, Havana, and provinces in eastern Cuba, including Pinar del Rio and Matanzas.
The storm could exacerbate an acute energy crisis in Cuba. Parts of the island have experienced prolonged power outages in recent weeks due to decrepit infrastructure and a lack of fuel for its oil-fired power stations.
