Hey there! So, Tropical Storm Rafael popped up in the Caribbean on Monday and is set to dump a lot of rain on Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
Forecasters are saying it’ll strengthen into a hurricane and likely make its way toward Cuba. Later this week, Florida and parts of the Southeast U.S. can expect some heavy rain too, according to the folks at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Right now, Jamaica is under a tropical storm warning, while a hurricane watch is active for the Cayman Islands and several regions in Cuba, including Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth.
There’s also a tropical storm watch for areas like Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, and Las Tunas in Cuba. If you’re in the lower or middle Florida Keys—specifically from Key West to just west of Channel 5 Bridge—watch out because there’s also a tropical storm watch for you!
As for Rafael itself? It’s sitting about 150 miles south of Kingston with winds hitting around 45 mph while moving north-northwest at about 9 mph. It should be close to Jamaica later today and near or over the Cayman Islands by late Tuesday as it strengthens into a hurricane before heading toward Cuba on Wednesday.
Most predictions suggest it’ll peak as a Category 1 hurricane; however, depending on how things go over the next few days—it could get stronger! Michael Lowry from the Hurricane Center mentioned that we’ll need to keep an eye on how quickly it organizes since that could change things.
In response to all this weather chatter: The government of the Cayman Islands has started handing out sandbags and announced that schools will close tomorrow. They’re urging everyone to take precautions for their safety and property. Similarly, schools in Jamaica are shutting down tomorrow as well—government offices even closed early today!
Over the weekend, the Jamaica Observer shared some concerning news about a significant landslide that occurred in a rural area just north of Kingston. Officials attributed this to the ongoing heavy rains leading up to a possible storm. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries, but some communities found themselves cut off from access.
The western Caribbean is bracing for more heavy rain, with forecasts predicting between 3 to 6 inches (7 to 15 centimeters), and even up to 9 inches (23 cm) in certain spots in Jamaica and parts of Cuba. This could lead to flooding and mudslides in those areas. By the way, Rafael has officially become the 17th named storm of this season! Meanwhile, over on the other side of the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Patty has fizzled out.