TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Rafael has strengthened into a Category 2 storm as it heads toward Cuba, where landfall is expected Wednesday before moving into the Gulf of Mexico.

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, Rafael was located at 21.0N and 81.6W with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles an hour, moving northwest at 14 miles an hour.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Rafael will pass through western Cuba on Wednesday as a Category 2 storm.

The NHC says the storm will also bring heavy rain to portions of the western Caribbean, including Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, through early Thursday.

Where will Rafael go once it reaches the Gulf?

Models have shifted west, indicating that Rafael will turn far away from Florida’s Gulf coast in the coming days.

A tropical storm warning is in effect, however, for the Florida Keys, where some storm impacts are expected Wednesday and early Thursday.

Models are divided on whether Rafael will head north toward the U.S. Gulf coast, or turn south toward Mexico.

As the storm moves through the Gulf, it’s expected to weaken because of cooler water temperatures and increased wind shear.

FOX 13 Meteorologist Jim Weber says it remains to be seen whether Rafael will make landfall in the U.S., or turn south toward Mexico.

“We may see some big adjustments to the forecast track as we go through the day,” Weber said.

Weber says the Tampa Bay area will see cloudy skies and scattered showers Wednesday and Thursday, with most of Florida’s storm impacts staying to the south.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA BAY:

TCU men’s basketball started their season off with a bang. The Frogs dominated the Florida A&M Rattlers 105-59 Monday.

It is tough to find many flaws about this win. Pretty much every aspect about the Frogs was a positive.

Here are some notable stat differentials from the win:

Understandably, they did play against subpar competition in Florida A&M, but this was a highly efficient win that will help TCU’s rankings long term.

There should rightfully be optimism for this team.

One of the biggest stories surrounding this year’s TCU team is the amount of youth on the roster.

TCU’s bench rotation includes four freshman and one true sophomore, and they all played well against the Rattlers.

Here are the five young guys’ statlines:

Vasean Allette: 20 points, 9-13 FG, 5 rebounds, 3 assists

Jace Posey: 11 points, 3-4 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Isaiah Manning: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Micah Robinson: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists

David Punch: 7 points, 3-4 FG, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks

This youth is one of the biggest question marks for TCU this season and how they will step into these roles.

It is safe to say this is a stellar start for this group as they hope to keep these performances going.

Ernest Udeh Jr. has taken a massive step this season from last, and the additions of guards Frankie Collins and Noah Reynolds have helped this jump drastically.

Udeh Jr. tied his career-high with 13 points along with 11 rebounds for his second career double-double.

Collins and Reynolds have done a stellar job getting him the ball and running the offense a lot better than last season.

Jamie Dixon touched on this postgame, saying how it is nice for the offense to have “pass first” guards.

These three players are probably the most important guys for the Frogs to have success this season, so establishing this connection early is extremely valuable as TCU goes deeper into their schedule.

Jamie Dixon

Jace Posey, Vasean Allette, and Frankie Collins

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