The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael grew into a major Category 3 storm Wednesday and made landfall in Cuba on its way into the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.

Louisianans should watch Hurricane Rafael's progress in the Gulf of Mexico, but forecasters with the National Weather Service in New Orleans say the storm doesn't pose a threat to the Bayou State on its current path.

Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean on Monday, a storm that's predicted to intensify into a hurricane and threaten the Gulf Coast this weekend.