Hurricane Rafael Makes Landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 Storm
- Rafael strikes as major hurricane with top winds of 115 mph
- Storm expected to emerge into the Gulf of Mexico Thursday
Fishermen protect their boats ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024.
Photographer: Adalberto Roque/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Hurricane Rafael slammed the western coast of Cuba with Category 3 winds, causing an island-wide blackout before it is expected to emerge in the Gulf of Mexico, where it could weaken quickly before reaching the US coastline.
Rafael’s winds measured 115 miles (185 kilometers) per hour at landfall just after 4 p.m. local time, according to an update from the US National Hurricane Center, confirming its ranking on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. The current Atlantic hurricane season has produced 17 storms, three more than average.