Like Rafael, stronger storms with staying power that form late in the season often originate in the Caribbean Sea. Here's more.

Tropical Storm Rafael has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane as it swirled past Jamaica and chugged toward western Cuba.

Hurricane Rafael swirled past the Cayman Islands and was expected to rapidly intensify before making landfall on Wednesday in western Cuba, where it's forecast to hit as a Category 2 hurricane. It was another stroke of bad news for Cuba,

Rafael is strengthening and will likely become a hurricane by Tuesday night as it batters the western Caribbean on the first leg of an uncertain journey toward the US Gulf Coast.