Tropical Storm Rafael gaining strength as it heads toward Gulf of Mexico
TAMPA, Fla. - Tropical Storm Rafael is strengthening over the Caribbean Sea ahead of its arrival in the Gulf of Mexico this week, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, Rafael was located at 17.4N and 78.4W, with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles an hour. The storm was moving northwest at 13 miles an hour.
According to the NHC, Rafael will strengthen into a hurricane by Wednesday, then make landfall in western Cuba where a hurricane warning is in effect.
Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to strengthen into a hurricane, then weaken over the northern Gulf of Mexico in the coming days.
After moving into the Gulf of Mexico, the storm is expected to turn northwest and weaken back into a tropical storm as it encounters cooler water temperatures and increased wind shear.
‘Fringe impacts’ in the Bay Area
FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg says that while Rafael is expected to stay west of the Bay Area, there will be "fringe impacts" across the region, especially Thursday morning.
"We won't get sustained tropical storm force winds or hurricane force winds on this path," Osterberg said. "But we could get some strong gusts along the coast and a couple of bands of rain."
By the weekend, models show Rafael taking one of two paths: either continuing west and meandering over the Gulf, or turning north toward the Florida Panhandle, likely as a tropical storm.
Models show Rafael either meandering over the western Gulf of Mexico or turning north, possibly toward the Florida Panhandle.
"Either way, we are anticipating this storm to weaken after it gets into the Gulf," Osterberg said.
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