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

Rafael is forecast to strengthen Tuesday and will likely become a hurricane over the next 24 hours as it batters the western Caribbean on the first leg of an uncertain journey toward the US Gulf Coast.

Tropical Storm Raphael is likely to continue to strengthen over the very warm Caribbean over the next 24–36 hours, where it is expected to reach category 1 strength.