Rafael strengthened into a hurricane before the its projected impact on Cuba Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Rafael is passing through the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean and is forecast to rapidly intensify before making landfall in western Cuba, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Rafael chugged toward the Cayman Islands on Tuesday and was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane en route to Cuba.The storm was located 105 miles (170 kilometers) southwest of Kingston,