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

Tropical Storm Rafael was rapidly picking up steam on Tuesday afternoon as it chugged toward the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean, and will likely become a hurricane in the next few hours, according to the U.

Hurricane Rafael continued to intensify on Wednesday, strengthening to a powerful Category 2 storm as it blew past the Cayman Islands and closed in on Cuba.