Hurricane Rafael is passing through the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean and is forecast to rapidly intensify before making landfall in western Cuba, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to strengthen into a hurricane before making landfall in Cuba Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Rafael has intensified into a hurricane, posing a significant threat to the Cayman Islands and western Cuba. The storm is expected to bring damaging hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surge,