Hurricane Rafael set to hit the US – here’s the projected path

Experts forecast that Rafael will then turn into a hurricane tonight and move into the southeast Gulf of Mexico.The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned people that tropical storm conditions are expected in the Florida Keys.

Strong gusts and flooding have prompted Americans to secure loose outdoor items. Small variations in Rafael’s strength and the surrounding winds can have a significant impact on its future trajectory, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger.

The storm intensifies slightly, or its course may vary if the winds that propel it change course.

Today, Storm Rafael was strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane, with the potential to reach land anywhere from the Florida Panhandle to the Texas coast.