Hurricane Rafael has made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm. It is expected to continue into the Gulf of Mexico, weakening but potentially threatening the southeastern United States. Only when tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean encounter the right ingredients for long enough do they strengthen to the point of designation.

"Rafael poses no direct threat to land, but swells from the storm are still contributing to an elevated rip current risk along the northern and western Gulf Coast, and this will likely continue into Monday before subsiding on Tuesday,

The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Rafael remains disorganized in the Gulf of Mexico and should continue to weaken, but forecasters are also keeping their eyes on a tropical disturbance that popped up in the Atlantic Ocean.