Hurricane Rafale becomes hurricane

Miami (USA) (EFE).- Tropical Storm Rafael intensified this Tuesday until it became a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale as it approached the Cayman Islands and Cuba, according to the National Center for US Hurricanes (NHC) have reported.

According to an update from the NHC, Rafael has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour, and is located about 35 kilometers south-east of Grand Cayman and 495 kilometers south-southeast of Havana (Cuba).

The system has prompted hurricane warnings for the Caribbean Cayman Islands and several provinces in western Cuba.

Hurricane Rafael at a speed of 24 kilometers

The meteorological center located in Miami (Florida) indicates that the system is moving rapidly to the northwest with a translation speed of 24 kilometers per hour.

According to the probable trajectory pattern, Rafael will pass near the Cayman Islands tonight and will be close to western Cuba on Wednesday.

After this, Rafael will move towards the south-eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Rafael will cause storm surges up to 3 feet (about a meter) above normal sea level in parts of the Cayman Islands and about 2.5 meters off the southern coast of Cuba, including Youth Island.

The NHC also warned that the storm will bring heavy rain to areas of the western Caribbean by early Thursday, especially in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and western Cuba.

Cuba on alert regarding Hurricane Rafael

Cuba evacuated thousands of people to western and central provinces this Wednesday ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Rafael, who are on “alert” to face the meteorological phenomenon, which is expected to cross the island from south to north in the next few hours. are supposed to.

Rafael – which will be the second hurricane to hit the Cuban territory in the past two weeks – is currently packing winds of 120 kilometers per hour, and its speed has increased to 24 kilometers per hour on its way to the Caribbean Sea, according to the weather agency. Latest report of Institute of Science (INSMET).

The Insmet forecast warned of strong storm surge along the south-central and western coast, as well as “moderate to severe” coastal flooding south of Sancti Spiritus, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Artemisa and Pinar del Río.

The National Civil Protection has reported that the situation in the central provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spíritus has been raised to the “cyclone alert” stage, joining Havana, Artemisa, Mayabeque, Pinar del Río, Matanzas and Special . The municipality of Isla de la Juventud, the places that face the greatest danger in the western region.

rain increases

On this day, rainfall associated with Rafael has increased in the south-eastern and central regions, and according to the latest reports they may become “stronger and more intense” in the west and center of the Caribbean country.

Among the measures adopted by the Cuban authorities in the face of this new meteorological contingency, the Ministry of Education suspended school activities, and the Ministry of Transportation canceled interprovincial bus and train trips.

Service and operations were also suspended at western airports in Isla de la Juventud, Havana and the tourist centers of Cayo Largo del Sur and Varadero.

Hurricane season

According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began on June 1 and ends on November 30, will have “above” average activity with 8 to 13 hurricanes 4 and 7. Will be of major category.

Since this year’s season began, ten hurricanes have formed: Beryl, Debbie, Ernesto, Francine, Helen, Isaac, Kirk, Leslie, Milton, and Oscar, with Beryl and Milton reaching Category 5, which is Saffir- The maximum on the Simpson scale is .