The National Hurricane Center has said "environmental conditions are very favorable for continued intensification."

Hurricane Rafael swirled past the Cayman Islands and was expected to rapidly intensify until making landfall on Wednesday in western Cuba, where it's forecast to hit as a Category 2 hurricane. Read more: How rare are November hurricanes in the Gulf? Rafael will be one of few in history.

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. Rafael was blowing maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) after skirting past western Jamaica around mid-day.