A rapidly strengthening Hurricane Rafael is expected to slam into western Cuba on 06NOV, and airlines are cancelling or delaying flights.
The Category 2 hurricane is expected to become a "major hurricane" before hitting land in Cuba later on 06NOV, according to the U.S.-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC).
Flight Aware reports 34 flights in and out of Havana have been cancelled on 06NOV; nearly two-thirds of all traffic.
Sunwing is offering customers travelling to Varadero through at least 07NOV to postpone, change destinations, or take a voucher good for one year. Air Canada and WestJet are offering penalty-free flight changes to Varadero customers through 07NOV. The storm also caused worry but little damage as it skirted past western Jamaica on 05NOV; Westjet’s goodwill policy is still in effect for Kingston and Montego Bay through 06NOV.
As of early morning 06NOV, Rafael is moving northwest, expected to reach the Isle of Youth by late morning or early afternoon, and then making landfall in western Cuba later in the day, according to NHC. Maximum winds are at 175 km/hour with higher gusts. The agency predicts life-threatening storm surge, plus flash flooding and damaging hurricane-force winds in western Cuba.
“Rafael could be near major hurricane intensity before it makes landfall in Cuba later today, according to the NHC report. “Rafael is forecast to weaken over Cuba but is expected to emerge into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane.”
The NHC said it calls for Rafael to be a category-2 hurricane as it passes not too far to the west of Key West late on 06NOV and on into the morning of 07NOV. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the western portion of the Florida Keys, where increasing winds and rain squalls can be expected.
In Cuba, "the airports of Varadero and Havana are closed today as a precautionary method," said Lessner Gomez of the Cuba Tourist Board of Canada. But in Havana, it wasn't even raining as of 10 am 06NOV, he added.
As of morning 06NOV, NHC had a Hurricane Warning in effect for:
- Little Cayman and Cayman Brac
- Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque,
Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus,
- and Ciego de Avila
- Lower and Middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the
- Channel 5 Bridge
- Dry Tortugas
Due to Rafael, the Canadian government is urging Canadians to avoid non-essential travel to the Cayman Islands and western Cuba, including Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and the Isle of Youth.
Meanwhile, cruises have been affected by the choppy weather, according to CruiseRadio.
But for Florida travellers, "the good news is that while the Rafael may well enter the Gulf as a hurricane mid-week, there is very little chance of the storm reaching land as a hurricane," said meteorologist Ryan Truchelut in the Ft. Myers-based News-Press.
