Hurricane Rafael is expected to turn toward the west and slow down in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Rafael is rapidly intensifying in the Caribbean and is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane before it slams into Cuba Wednesday. As of Wednesday morning, Rafael was a Category 2 storm with winds of 110 mph – just 1 mph away from Category 3 status – and 130 miles from Cuba.

The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael weakened into a Category 2 storm Wednesday evening after making landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 on its way into the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.