Category 3 Hurricane Rafael threatens Cuba, the Gulf in rare November storm

[Karah]

HURRICANE RAFAEL HAS RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED IN THE GULF –

NOW A CATEGORY 3 STORM –

WITH LANDFALL EXPECTED IN CUBA ON WEDNESDAY.

THE STORM, WITH WINDS OF 115 MILES PER HOUR, IS ALREADY CAUSING CONCERN ACROSS THE ISLAND –

70 THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE EVACUATED AND THE MILITARY HAS BEEN MOBILIZED.

RAFAEL IS THE FIFTH MAJOR HURRICANE OF THE ATLANTIC SEASON, AND ITS RARE NOVEMBER TIMING HAS CAPTURED ATTENTION. 

ACCORDING TO METEOROLOGISTS –

SINCE 1861, ONLY 11 STORMS HAVE MOVED THROUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO IN NOVEMBER, AND NONE HAVE EVER MADE LANDFALL IN TEXAS OR LOUISIANA THIS LATE IN THE YEAR.

BUT THE HURRICANE IS NOW HEADING TOWARD THE GULF –

AND WHILE ITS PATH REMAINS UNCERTAIN, IT COULD AFFECT PARTS OF THE U.S. GULF COAST BY THE WEEKEND.

RESIDENTS IN FLORIDA ARE ALREADY BRACING FOR HEAVY RAIN, DANGEROUS SURF, AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES, WITH STORM SURGES EXPECTED IN THE KEYS.

HURRICANE RAFAEL IS THE FIFTH STORM THIS SEASON TO STRENGTHEN INTO AT LEAST A CATEGORY 3 –

FOLLOWING BERYL, HELENE, KIRK, AND MILTON.

AUTHORITIES IN CUBA ARE EXPECTING RAFAEL TO COME PACKING WITH LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGES, HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS, AND FLASH FLOODING.

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