As early as this weekend, a rare November hurricane could make landfall in the United States.
Today, Storm Rafael was strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane, with the potential to reach land anywhere from the Florida Panhandle to the Texas coast. Within the following twelve hours, the storm is predicted to strike the Isle of Youth and western Cuba.
According to the most recent reports, Rafael is predicted to make landfall in western Cuba and the Isle of Youth over the next 12 hours, bringing with it hazardous storm surges, powerful winds, and a lot of rain.
As local officials advise citizens to lock their houses and be ready for the worst, Cuba is already preparing for widespread flooding and potential evacuations.
Officials on the U.S. Gulf Coast are keeping a careful eye on the storm in the meanwhile. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida emergency services are on high alert, planning evacuation plans for coastal areas, boarding up windows, and making sandbags.