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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean on Monday, the National Hurricane Center said, prompting a Tropical Storm Watch for part of Florida.
Rafael’s maximum sustained winds are 45 mph. It is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday before moving into the Gulf of Mexico.
The system is located about 195 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica and will continue moving northwestward for the next few days. According to the NHC, the system should be near Jamaica late Monday and be near or over the Cayman Islands late Tuesday into Wednesday.
The disturbance could be near hurricane intensity when it passes near the Cayman Islands, according to the NHC.
The system is expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico and then move to the northwest, according to the NHC.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
- Cayman Islands
- Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
- Jamaica
- Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, and Ciego de Avila
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
- Cuban provinces of Camaguey, and Las Tunas
- Lower and Middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the
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