Rafael became stronger again. It brings heavy downpours

On Tuesday, the element, also known as… storm tropical, passed through western Jamaica. There it brought heavy rainfall. On Wednesday, its strength increased to first category one, then category two, and ultimately category three on the five-point ascending Saffir-Simpson scale.

According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), Rafael will grow stronger as it approaches Cuba. The greatest threat is expected to be downpours causing floods and landslides. The element brings downpours.

Rafael is moving northwest and is expected to reach western Cuba on Wednesday afternoon local time (in Poland it will be the night from Wednesday to Thursday). It is currently located about 135 kilometers southeast of Havana, the capital of this Caribbean country, generating winds of up to 185 kilometers per hour.

– We are dealing with a weather system that will continue to gain intensity, which is very dangerous for the western part of the country – it will directly feel its effects. Heavy and intense rain will continue to occur in the west and center, especially in southern coastal areas. In the case of the central part, also in some mountainous places, rainfall accumulation may exceed 200 liters of rain in 24 hours, said Elier Pila, a Cuban meteorologist, in an interview with Reuters.

In Havana, schools and public transport are closed until further notice. The police are appealing to residents to take shelter from the elements.

Authorities said flights at both Havana's Jose Marti International Airport and the popular seaside resort of Varadero were grounded until Thursday. Additionally, more than 100 Canadian tourists were evacuated from a popular beach destination in southwestern Cuba – Cayo Largo.

On Monday, the Cuban authorities ordered the evacuation of over 70,000 residents. According to information from the local civil defense, quoted by media linked to the regime in Havana, the evacuation mainly concerns people who do not have the conditions to safely survive the disaster.

Hurricane Oscar hit the island on October 21, causing fatalities. Shortly before this, Cuba experienced a massive paralysis of its energy system.

Rafael's potential route through the Gulf of Mexico this week and into the weekend is slowly becoming more precise, but is not yet certain, CNN writes. There is still a risk that Rafael could become the sixth named storm to hit the U.S. this season.

Authorities are monitoring the cyclone's impact on weather conditions off the coast of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas early next week. In Florida, the nearby hurricane is already being felt. In the south of this American state and in the Florida Keys archipelago, heavy rainfall occurred on Wednesday.