Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to weaken by Monday morning, days after it slammed into Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.
On Wednesday, Rafael made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, causing another nationwide blackout, before moving towards the Gulf of Mexico.
Rafael, which was a tropical storm Sunday morning, is expected to “meander over the central Gulf of Mexico” Sunday night and move south-southwest Monday and Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
While it did have maximum sustained winds near 40 mph with higher gusts, it is expected to weaken to a post-tropical remnant low by Monday.
Tropical Storm Rafael tracker
National Hurricane Center tracking area of low pressure
The NHC is watching an area of low pressure near the Bahamas.
It is located around 200 miles east of the Caribbean islands, but will be less likely to form as it reaches an area with unfavorable conditions on Sunday.
Despite the conditions, heavy rain and gusty winds are expected as the system moves along westward across the Bahamas Sunday night, according to the NHC.
In the next 48 hours and 7 days, the system has a 10% chance for formation, which is low.
Contributing: Christopher Cann, Dinah Voyles Pulver; USA TODAY
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tropical Storm Rafael tracker: Storm ‘meanders’ in Gulf of Mexico
