Cuba is preparing for the arrival of Rafael, who is expected to reach the island as a hurricane

Tropical Storm Rafael was passing west of Jamaica on Tuesday and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it headed toward Cuba.

The storm is located 115 kilometers southwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Tuesday morning. It had sustained winds of 95 km/h and was moving northwest at 23 km/h, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The agency said it expects “gradual intensification” over the next 24 to 36 hours. The storm was expected to continue past Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon, be near or over the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night and make landfall in western Cuba on Wednesday.

“Rafael is expected to become a hurricane as it passes by the Cayman Islands and is strengthened a lot before it crosses Cuba,” said the agency.

On Tuesday morning, Cuban security authorities asked on social media that Cubans prepare immediately because when a storm hits, “it’s important to stay where you are.” The previous day, authorities said they had issued an order to evacuate 37,000 people to eastern Cuba, Guantanamo province, due to bad weather.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the Cayman Islands and the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and the Isle of Youth.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for Jamaica and the Cuban states of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila, as well as the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge , and Dry Tortugas.

A tropical storm watch was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Camaguey and Las Tunas.

“The storm is currently in an area of ​​wind and sea that is ready to intensify,” the hurricane center said – although an expert there said it was not yet clear how much Florida and other coastal parts of the United States would be affected.

Schools, government offices are closed in the Cayman Islands

In the Cayman Islands, officials closed schools and government offices as they urged residents to prepare. Long lines were reported at grocery stores as the storm approached.

Jamaica also closed as a precautionary measure, with outside winds of the storm hitting the island late Monday. “We urge all Jamaicans to remain vigilant,” said Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie.

The storm is bad news for Cuba, which is still struggling to recover from Hurricane Oscar, which hit the island last month after making landfall in the eastern part of the country, killing at least six people. The storm also coincided with a major power outage on the island.

Forecasters warned that Rafael will unleash heavy rains in the western Caribbean that could lead to flooding and mudslides, with a total of seven to 15 centimeters expected and 25 centimeters expected in Jamaica and parts of Cuba.