Rafael weakens to tropical storm over Gulf of Mexico after barreling through Cuba as a hurricane

Hurricane Rafael, which was a Category 3 hurricane, weakened to a tropical storm and is expected to dissipate over the Gulf of Mexico soon. It caused damage in Cuba, knocking out power, causing mudslides, and forcing evacuations. The storm also affected Jamaica and the Cayman Islands earlier in the week. The National Hurricane Center in Miami reported that Rafael had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving west-northwest at 6 mph. Forecasters warned of life-threatening surf and rip current conditions in southern Mexico. Cuba’s government is working to restore power to homes, with support from Russia in the form of diesel and equipment. This comes after a series of challenges for the island nation, including extended blackouts and previous hurricane-related deaths.