Hurricane Rafael continues to gain strength and remains on track to emerge in the Gulf of Mexico where millions of people from Texas to Florida will be keeping their eyes on the late-season hurricane.

Rafael strengthened into a hurricane Tuesday evening as it lashed the western Caribbean with strong winds and heavy rain. The storm is expected to keep strengthening before it makes landfall in Cuba on Wednesday.

Tropical Storm Rafael is passing south of western Jamaica and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane possibly by Tuesday evening.Rafael, which formed Sunday and was previously known as Potential Tropical Cyclone 18,