The National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced in its latest update that Hurricane Rafael, after wreaking havoc in various Cuban provinces, is now moving away from the island. However, heavy rains are expected to continue. The NHC shared on the social media platform X that "Rafael will keep bringing periods of heavy rainfall to western Cuba today. Flash flooding and landslides are possible, particularly in higher terrain areas."
Furthermore, the NHC mentioned that the hurricane is projected to move slowly across the south-central Gulf of Mexico over the weekend and into the early part of next week. "Those with interests in the southern and southwestern Gulf of Mexico should keep an eye on this system," the NHC advised.
Despite moving away, Rafael's feeder bands are still causing unstable weather conditions in western Cuba. In Artemisa, the storm left a trail of destruction, including damaged homes, floods, and infrastructure harm. Havana also experienced disruptions such as building collapses and flooding, with thousands remaining in evacuation centers.
Across these provinces and the rest of Cuba, the hurricane caused another collapse of the National Electrical System, leaving millions of homes without power.
In other developments, the monitoring center reported on its website that they are currently observing a low-pressure trough located over the northern Leeward Islands, which continues to produce disorganized showers and thunderstorms. The center indicated there is a potential for gradual development of this system in the coming days as it moves westward near the Greater Antilles. The probability of formation within the next 48 hours remains low at 20 percent, holding the same likelihood over the next seven days.
Moreover, the center noted that regardless of its development, heavy rains are anticipated in the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the southeastern Bahamas through Saturday.