Update11/7
Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Cuba Wednesday as a Category 3 storm with wind speeds of 115 mph. Rafael resulted in the island's power grid crashing, leaving the entire population of ten million without electricity.
The National Hurricane Center says the storm lost a bit of steam as it passed over the island and entered the Gulf of Mexico. It is now a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 105 mph moving northwest at 13 mph.
Forecasters say with the cooler gulf waters, and a weak steering current, Rafael is likely to continue to weaken and could fall apart in the Gulf of Mexico, leading to only high surf and some wind along the southeast Texas coast.
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Tropical Storm Rafael is headed towards the Gulf of Mexico. Rafael is expected to strengthen into a hurricane and although the Atlantic Hurricane Season officially runs through the end of the month, getting a November hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico is rare.
Rafael should reach Cuba by Wednesday before entering the Gulf of Mexico Thursday. Once it reaches the cooler gulf waters, forecasters expect the system to weaken back down to a tropical storm by the weekend.
A tropical storm watch has been issued for the Lower and Middle Florida Keys with more watches and warnings probable as this late season storm moves on a north westerly track.
The last November hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico was Kate in 1985.That came ashore in the Florida Panhandle as a category 2 hurricane on November 21, 1985.