Published: Nov. 5, 2024 at 11:44 PM EST |Updated: 2 hours ago Rafael is a hurricane. Sustained winds have reached 75 mph with gusts up to 85 mph. The central pressure has dropped to 986 MB. Hurricane warnings are in effect for the western side of Cuba with hurricane conditions expected Wednesday. Some weakening is expected as the storm passes over Cuba. Latest Rafael Track (WITN) The stronger Rafael gets entering the Gulf, the higher the chance a hurricane could impact the US. The current forecast shows a weakening trend back to a tropical storm before reaching Louisiana thanks to drier air and stronger upper level winds. No impacts to ENC are expected. It’s rare for a tropical storm or hurricane to impact ENC this late in the season. In the past 30 years, only Hurricane Eta (2020) and Hurricane Gordon (1994) have moved within 200 miles of our coastline in November. As far as landfalling hurricanes in November in the U.S., it’s only happened 4 times in the last 170 years. Three of those were in Florida: Nicole in 2022, Kate in 1985 and Yankee in 1935. The 4th was Expedition, which hit North Carolina back in 1861. More development is possible in the southwestern Atlantic and northern Caribbean as another tropical wave moves in. Chances continue to slowly rise but are still low for now. Tropical Development