The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael formed Tuesday evening on its way toward Cuba and the Gulf of Mexico while tropical storm warnings were issued for the Florida Keys.

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,

Rafael intensified into a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday evening in the Caribbean near the Cayman Islands as it headed for the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said. The National Hurricane Center designated Rafael the 11th hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season at 7:20 p.