(WALA) – Tropical Storm Rafael will become better organized tonight, with winds of 110 km per hour. The storm rages in the Caribbean Sea.
As of the 3 p.m. advisory, Rafael had a minimum barometric pressure of 989 millibars and was moving northwest at a speed of nearly 15 miles per hour.
Rafael should cross Cuba and enter the Gulf on Wednesday, probably as a hurricane. The ridge that Rafael is steering will build westward, putting the system on a more westward track Thursday and Friday.
Once Rafael reaches 25 degrees north latitude and begins to enter the northern Gulf, significant weakening is expected. Dry air, wind shear and lower water temperatures will weaken the system as it approaches the Gulf Coast.
It is possible that Rafael will be a low-quality tropical storm, a depression, or even a remnant low as it moves closer to our area.
We certainly expect a continuation of the rough surf/high current pattern into the weekend. It’s too early to tell if we’ll get more rain (or any wind) this weekend. We will continue to monitor it and keep you informed.
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