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,

Hurricane Rafael continues to gain strength and remains on track to emerge in the Gulf of Mexico where millions of people from Texas to Florida will be keeping their eyes on the late-season hurricane.

Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean on Monday, a storm that's predicted to intensify into a hurricane and threaten the Gulf Coast this weekend.

Like Rafael, stronger storms with staying power that form late in the season often originate in the Caribbean Sea. Here's more.

ToplineTropical Storm Rafael is expected to strengthen on Tuesday while becoming a hurricane over the western Caribbean as the storm heads northwest toward the Gulf Coast later this week, impacting the Florida Keys and other states,

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.

Tropical Storm Rafael formed Monday afternoon in the Caribbean, and is forecast to briefly become a Category 2 hurricane later this week over Cuba, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Rafael is the 17th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. An average year sees 14 storms. Eight named storms have developed in November since 2013.

Tropical Storm Rafael is on the brink of hurricane strength as it move northwest in the Caribbean Sea towards Cuba. After crossing the island mid-week, it will move towards the central Gulf of Mexico.