Hurricane Rafael, the first major November hurricane in the Gulf in nearly four decades, has intensified to Category 3, affecting Cuba and threatening the U.S. Rafael has caused significant damage in Cuba, leading to evacuations and a nationwide power outage affecting millions. As it moves westward, forecasters warn of dangerous surf and rip currents in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-average hurricane season, which Rafael exemplifies as the 11th hurricane of 2024, highlighting the increasing intensity of such storms in recent years.