Rafael strengthened into a low-end hurricane Tuesday night as it approached the Cayman Islands in the central Caribbean Sea, the National Hurricane Center said. The rare November hurricane was expected to continue churning northwest toward western Cuba and enter the Gulf of Mexico this week,

Soon-to-be Rafael will eventually track into the Gulf later this week. The low-pressure area is moving north from the southern Caribbean. A tropical storm warning has been issued for Jamaica. The storm is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane over the next several days.

Potential Tropical Cyclone 18 is likely to gain strength and develop into Tropical Storm Rafael today. The system is headed toward the Gulf of Mexico.