**Hurricane Rafael Shifts Course Towards Texas After Strengthening to Category 2**

Hurricane Rafael, which gained hurricane status on Tuesday night, has altered its course and is now targeting southern Texas. Previously predicted to head towards Louisiana, the storm's path shifted westward as it advanced into the Gulf of Mexico.

National Hurricane Center (NHC) meteorologists have noted that Rafael, which boasts maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, is a Category 2 hurricane. The storm is forecasted to develop into a major hurricane before making landfall in Cuba later on Wednesday. Despite weakening as it moves over Cuba, Rafael is expected to maintain its hurricane status upon emerging in the Gulf of Mexico.

This shift in trajectory has prompted an array of hurricane and tropical storm warnings, notably in the Florida Keys, as the storm is on track to pass nearby. Initially, Rafael was projected to reach Louisiana, though uncertainties remained regarding its strength upon its arrival. The current forecast now points towards Texas, with the hurricane expected to retain its strength through Saturday morning. Beyond that, the prognosis indicates potential weakening to a tropical storm, with specific impacts still unclear.

NHC spokesperson Erica Grow Cei conveyed to Newsweek that conditions in the Gulf of Mexico might impede Rafael from rapid intensification as waters have started cooling below the 80-degree threshold necessary for hurricanes to strengthen. Robust wind shear in the area is also anticipated to help in diminishing the storm's power.

Rafael's extended journey across the Gulf could lead to further weakening, a factor that has historically prevented November storms from making a U.S. landfall, especially in Texas and Louisiana. Despite this, the NHC has underscored that it is too early to rule out potential U.S. impact apart from the Florida Keys, advising Gulf Coast residents to stay alert.

In Cuba, Rafael is expected to deliver severe impacts, with forecasts predicting life-threatening storm surges up to 14 feet in the southern parts of the island and rainfall reaching up to 12 inches in elevated terrains. Additionally, the storm could produce tornadoes that might strike the Florida Keys and southwestern parts of the Florida peninsula through Wednesday night.