Tropical Storm Rafael was chugging past western Jamaica on Tuesday and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it headed toward Cuba. The storm was located 70 miles (115 kilometers) southwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Tuesday morning. It had ...

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.

Rafael is the 17th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and it could become the 11th hurricane. The season lasts until Nov. 30.