Rafael becomes a category 1 hurricane. Will Mississippi see the impact?

Lici Beveridge and Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK
Updated ·2 min read

Mississippi Emergency Management officials are warning Mississippi residents that Hurricane Rafael could possibly impact the state.

A tropical storm warning was issued earlier Tuesday for the lower and middle Florida Keys. Rafael is expected to become a hurricane later today. The cone spread extends from the tip of the Florida Panhandle to the Texas/Louisiana border.

The storm became a category 1 hurricane Tuesday night, with sustained winds of 75 mph.

A coastal flooding advisory is in effect for Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.

Rafael is expected to weaken by the weekend, before making landfall in the U.S.

Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to become a hurricane later Tuesday as it begins to enter the Gulf of Mexico.
Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to become a hurricane later Tuesday as it begins to enter the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect today and early Wednesday in the Cayman Islands and parts of Cuba as Rafael makes its way northwest into the Gulf of Mexico later this week. Jamaica also is expected to see some impact later today. Rafael currently has sustained winds of 60 mph.

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NOAA's National Hurricane Center is monitoring the storm, but says it's too soon to say where and what impact the storm will have on the southeastern United States to as far west as Texas.

Heavy rainfall will spread north into Florida and adjacent areas mid-to-late week, MEMA reported.

"Residents are encouraged to stay updated by monitoring the weather forecasts," MEMA said on Facebook. "Additionally, this serves as a reminder to evaluate and restock your disaster go-kit."

Elsewhere in the tropics, the National Hurricane Center also is tracking a disturbance in the southwestern Atlantic with a low chance for development. AccuWeather forecasters said it could become a tropical depression or storm this week.

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Tropical Storm Rafael: National Hurricane Center tracking system approaching Caribbean

Lici Beveridge is a reporter for the Hattiesburg American and Clarion Ledger. Contact her at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on X @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Will Hurricane Rafael impact Mississippi