MIAMI — Hurricane Rafael, a Category 2 storm, is expected to slowly trek west across the Gulf of Mexico for the next few days.

This path is lined with less friendly conditions than the Caribbean — biting wind shear, dry air and cooler waters — that could work together to weaken the storm. By Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said, ...Read more

MIAMI — Hurricane Rafael, now a Category 2 storm, is expected to slowly trek west across the Gulf of Mexico for the next few days.

This path is lined with less friendly conditions than the Caribbean — biting wind shear, dry air and cooler waters — that could work together to weaken the storm. By the time it nears Mexico on Sunday, the ...Read more

Less than three weeks after Cuba lost all electrical service for several days, Hurricane Rafael’s strong winds knocked out the country’s electrical grid again Wednesday afternoon, leaving the island without service, the state electricity company said.

The state-owned Electric Union said that the strong winds “caused the disconnection of ...Read more

The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael weakened into a Category 2 storm Wednesday evening after making landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 on its way into the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.

As of 7 p.m. EST, Rafael, which first gained hurricane status at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, had 105 mph ...Read more

The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael grew into a major Category 3 storm Wednesday and made landfall in Cuba on its way into the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.

As of 4:15 p.m. EST, Rafael, which first gained hurricane status at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, remained a major hurricane with 115 ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael grew into a major Category 3 storm Wednesday ahead of landfall in Cuba as it headed toward the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.

As of 4 p.m. Rafael, which first gained hurricane status at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, remained a major ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael will grow into a major Category 3 storm Wednesday before it strikes Cuba and moves into the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remain under a tropical storm warning.

As of 10 a.m. Rafael, which formed at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, had grown into a strong Category 2 hurricane with...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Storm Rafael to grow into the season’s 11th hurricane Tuesday as it moves toward Cuba with winds and storm surge expected to affect the Florida Keys this week.

As of the NHC’s 4 p.m. Eastern time advisory, Rafael was located about 105 miles east of Grand Cayman and 120 miles...Read more

Most of Georgia has gone more than a month without any significant rain. Now, a tropical storm brewing in the Caribbean appears set to finally bring moisture to the state, and the National Weather Service is warning the system’s heavy rains could overwhelm the area’s parched soils and lead to flooding.

The forecast rain is associated with ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Storm Rafael to grow into the season’s 11th hurricane on Tuesday as it moves toward Cuba with winds and storm surge expected to only sideswipe Florida as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico.

As of the NHC’s 7 a.m. advisory, Rafael was located about 80 miles south-southwest of ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Storm Rafael to grow into the season’s 11th hurricane on Tuesday as it moves toward Cuba with winds and storm surge expected to affect the Florida Keys this week.

As of the NHC’s 10 a.m. EST advisory, Rafael was located about 65 miles southwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica and ...Read more

The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean on Monday, and is forecast to intensify into a hurricane as it heads north toward the Gulf of Mexico.

As of the NHC’s 7 p.m. EST advisory, Rafael was located about 150 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, and 370 miles southeast of Grand Cayman moving north-...Read more

Cuba is bracing for yet another storm, just days after Hurricane Oscar wrought havoc in the eastern province of Guantanamo and the country’s entire grid collapsed last month.

Civil defense authorities issued an alert Sunday for central and western Cuba as tropical storm Rafael is expected to strengthen and cross western Cuba as a Category 1 ...Read more

The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean on Monday, and is forecast to intensify into a hurricane as it heads north toward the Gulf of Mexico.

As of the NHC’s 4 p.m. EST advisory, Rafael was located about 175 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, and 395 miles southeast of Grand Cayman moving north at 9 mph...Read more

A hurricane could enter the Gulf of Mexico as soon as Wednesday, after striking western Cuba and the Cayman Islands.

The outer bands could sweep the Florida Keys and send some rain over the peninsula later in the week, but the initial forecast track kept the core of the still-developing system far from a Florida Gulf Coast still cleaning up ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Some polling locations across California could be affected by power shutoffs that utilities implement over the next few days to reduce fire risks as dangerous winds pick up across the state.

But the state's largest utility companies say voting and vote counting should not be interrupted, given the emergency preparations that are...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — A growing system in the Caribbean could develop into Tropical Storm Rafael on Monday and intensify into a hurricane as it heads north toward the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of the NHC’s 7 a.m. advisory, what is now called Potential Tropical Cyclone Eighteen was located about 220 miles south...Read more