Rafael becomes post-tropical cyclone over Gulf as it brings life-threatening beach conditions to US coast
The National Hurricane Center warned that Rafael could bring life-threatening rip currents and surf to the Gulf Coast through the weekend, in addition to the flash flood threat in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Tropical Storm Rafael becoming less organized as late-season storm starts to fizzle in Gulf
The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Rafael is becoming less organized and is continuing to weaken as the late-season storm spins over the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
MIAMI – Rafael continued to weaken on Sunday as it spins over the Gulf of Mexico, and while the late-season storm won’t directly hit the U.S., it will bring life-threatening beach conditions to the Gulf Coast.
TROPICAL STORM RAFAEL TRACKER: FORECAST CONE, SPAGHETTI PLOTS, MAPS AND MORE
![Children walk through flooded waters after the passage of hurricane Rafael in Batabano, Artemisa province, Cuba on November 7, 2024.]()
Image 1 of 15Children walk through flooded waters after the passage of hurricane Rafael in Batabano, Artemisa province, Cuba on November 7, 2024. (YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
![A resident stands amid debris and fallen trees after the passage of Hurricane Rafael in Artemisa, Cuba, on November 7, 2024. Cubans on Thursday were assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Rafael which lashed the island and plunged it into darkness but caused no reported fatalities so far.]()
Image 2 of 15A resident stands amid debris and fallen trees after the passage of Hurricane Rafael in Artemisa, Cuba, on November 7, 2024. (ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Image 3 of 15A girl carries a toddler through a flooded street after the passage of Hurricane Rafel in Batabano, Mayabeque province, Cuba, on November 7, 2024. (YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
![A high tension electric tower knocked down during the passage of Hurricane Rafael blocks the road linking Artemisa with Havana, on November 7, 2024.]()
Image 4 of 15A high tension electric tower knocked down during the passage of Hurricane Rafael blocks the road linking Artemisa with Havana, on November 7, 2024. (ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)
![A man walks on a street during the pass of the Hurricane Rafael's eye in Pueblo Candelaria, Artemisa Province, 65 km west of Havana, on November 6, 2024. Hurricane Rafael knocked out power to all of Cuba on Wednesday as it made landfall on the island still reeling from a recent blackout and a previous major storm, the national power company said. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 5 of 15A man walks on a street during the pass of the Hurricane Rafael's eye in Pueblo Candelaria, Artemisa Province, 65 km west of Havana, on November 6, 2024. (YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
![People walk on the streets during the pass of the Hurricane Rafael's eye in Pueblo Candelaria, Artemisa Province, 65 km west of Havana, on November 6, 2024. Hurricane Rafael knocked out power to all of Cuba on Wednesday as it made landfall on the island still reeling from a recent blackout and a previous major storm, the national power company said. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 6 of 15People walk on the streets during the pass of the Hurricane Rafael's eye in Pueblo Candelaria, Artemisa Province, 65 km west of Havana, on November 6, 2024. (YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
![Heavy rain is pictured after the landfall of Hurricane Rafael in Pueblo Candelaria, Artemisa Province, 65 km west of Havana, on November 6, 2024. Hurricane Rafael knocked out power to all of Cuba on Wednesday as it made landfall on the island still reeling from a recent blackout and a previous major storm, the national power company said. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 7 of 15Heavy rain is pictured after the landfall of Hurricane Rafael in Pueblo Candelaria, Artemisa Province, 65 km west of Havana, on November 6, 2024. (YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
![Rescue workers walk on a darkened street due to a blackout after the pass of hurricane Rafael in Havana, on November 6, 2024. Hurricane Rafael left Cuba on Wednesday night, leaving the island in darkness with widespread power outages and destruction in some villages after hitting as a powerful Category 3 hurricane. (Photo by Yamil LAGE / AFP) (Photo by YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 8 of 15Rescue workers walk on a darkened street due to a blackout after the pass of hurricane Rafael in Havana, on November 6, 2024. (YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
![The waves and winds pick up in Key West, Florida from Hurricane Rafael on Nov. 6, 2024.]()
Image 9 of 15The waves and winds pick up in Key West, Florida from Hurricane Rafael on Nov. 6, 2024. ( )
![The waves and winds pick up in Key West, Florida from Hurricane Rafael on Nov. 6, 2024.]()
Image 10 of 15The waves and winds pick up in Key West, Florida from Hurricane Rafael on Nov. 6, 2024. ( )
![The waves and winds pick up in Key West, Florida from Hurricane Rafael on Nov. 6, 2024.]()
Image 11 of 15The waves and winds pick up in Key West, Florida from Hurricane Rafael on Nov. 6, 2024. ( )
![People protect the windows of a restaurant with cardboard ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. Cuba was bracing for Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to make landfall on the island as a hurricane on November 6, compounding the misery wrought by a massive blackout and Hurricane Oscar. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 12 of 15People protect the windows of a restaurant with cardboard ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. ( )
![Fishermen protect their boats ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. Cuba was bracing for Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to make landfall on the island as a hurricane on November 6, compounding the misery wrought by a massive blackout and Hurricane Oscar. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 13 of 15Fishermen protect their boats ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. ( )
![Workers protect a facility ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. Cuba was bracing for Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to make landfall on the island as a hurricane on November 6, compounding the misery wrought by a massive blackout and Hurricane Oscar. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 14 of 15Workers protect a facility ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. ( )
![Fishermen remove their boats from the water ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. Cuba was bracing for Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to make landfall on the island as a hurricane on November 6, compounding the misery wrought by a massive blackout and Hurricane Oscar. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)]()
Image 15 of 15Fishermen remove their boats from the water ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Rafael in Havana on November 5, 2024. ( )
By Sunday afternoon, the tropical storm was downgraded to a post-tropical remnant low.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that Rafael could bring life-threatening rip currents and surf to the Gulf Coast through the weekend, in addition to the flash flood threat in Louisiana and Mississippi.
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Cuba and parts of the western Caribbean, however, have been the hardest hit by the storm, which brought damaging hurricane-force winds, flooding rain and a life-threatening storm surge.
A weather station in the Casablanca area of Havana reported a wind gust of 93 mph around the time Rafael made landfall Wednesday afternoon. Due to the storm's impacts, Cuba was plunged into darkness.
Where is Rafael?
(FOX Weather)
As of the latest advisory from the NHC, Rafael is more than 345 miles north-northwest of Progreso, a port city on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, and is crawling north-northwest at 3 mph.
What's the forecast for Rafael?
(FOX Weather)
The NHC said Rafael is expected to meander over the central Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night, and then make a turn to the south and south-southwest on Monday and Tuesday.