Rafael made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday afternoon in western Cuba before weakening, the National Hurricane Center said.In a 10 p.m. update, the center said Rafael was moving away from western Cuba as it headed to the southeastern Gulf of Mexico,

Hurricane Rafael made landfall in western Cuba as a Category 3 storm Wednesday, bringing sustained winds of up to 115 mph as it batters the already ravaged island before heading to the Gulf of Mexico and churning toward the U.

A rare November hurricane is expected to make landfall in the southern US this weekend, according to meteorologists. Tropical Storm Rafael is forecast to pick up enough strength to qualify as a hurricane as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is expected to make landfall in the south-central US.