Hurricane Rafael is now expected to be the first hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico that won't make landfall in the U.S. this year as it turns west and makes its way toward Mexico. By the weekend, Rafael will hook west-southwest and turn south-southwest by early next week.

Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean Sea Monday afternoon and could bring a rare November threat to the United States this weekend after tearing through parts of the western Caribbean. Rafael is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane Tuesday and could rapidly intensify over the warm water of the northwest Caribbean,