**Tropical Storm Rafael Threatens Caribbean and Southern US**

Tropical Storm Rafael is intensifying in the Caribbean Sea, with meteorologists anticipating it reaching hurricane strength by Wednesday. The storm brings the threat of severe winds and heavy rainfall, and could impact portions of the Florida Keys as early as Wednesday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The National Hurricane Center highlights the risk of 1-3 feet of storm surge in Dry Tortugas and 1-2 feet in the Lower Keys if Rafael arrives at high tide. Additionally, several tornadoes could form over the Keys and Florida's southern mainland.

Jim Cantore, a Weather Channel meteorologist, reported that Rafael's path brought heavy rain to Jamaica as it traveled northwest on Tuesday morning. He warned that the Cayman Islands and western Cuba could experience hurricane conditions soon.

The NHS has issued warnings of "damaging hurricane-force winds, a dangerous storm surge, and destructive waves" as Rafael approaches the Cayman Islands. The storm is expected to further strengthen before potentially making landfall in Cuba.

Cuba faces another storm just weeks after Hurricane Oscar caused significant damage, leading to a nationwide blackout and resulting in at least seven deaths. Both Cuba and Jamaica are at risk of flash flooding and mudslides due to the heavy rains from Rafael.

Though Rafael is expected to weaken before reaching the US Gulf coast, projections indicate that states like Louisiana and Mississippi could still experience some effects from the storm. Notably, records show that these areas have never encountered a hurricane in November since 1861.

Rafael marks the 17th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season and could become the 11th hurricane. This season has been particularly active, with the Atlantic seeing a record ten named storms from September 24 to November 4, largely due to unusually high sea surface temperatures.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has brought severe devastation, including Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, which collectively caused significant casualties and billions in damage. Rising sea temperatures attributed to global warming continue to drive the severity of these storms.