HOUSTON — With the 3 a.m. Sunday update from the National Hurricane Center, Rafael is a tropical storm. Maximum sustained winds are at 40 mph. The storm is weakening fast in the Gulf of Mexico through the weekend and become a remnant low next week as it heads south into the southern Gulf of Mexico.
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According to the National Hurricane Center, swells generated by Rafael are expected to spread across most of the Gulf of Mexico during the next several days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect this weekend for the upper Texas coast. This means low lying roads near the beach may become inundated, especially at times of high tide. Rip currents along Gulf facing beaches will be a threat to swimmers.
While November is well past the peak of hurricane season, it’s not too rare to have a tropical storm or hurricane. According to data from the National Hurricane Center, there have been 125 "November" tropical storms or hurricanes active in the Atlantic basin since 1861.
KHOU 11 will track Rafael and will post any updates as the system develops.
