Latest on the tropicsRafael has officially strengthened into a hurricane in the Caribbean, the National Hurricane Center said Tuesday.Sign up for our NewslettersCurrently located 13 miles SE of Little Cayman in the Caribbean Sea,

Flooding rains, gusty winds, and coastal flooding are likely to impact millions of the Caribbean islands as Tropical Storm Rafael, the 17th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, picks up steam through Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tropical Storm Rafael is intensifying as it moves toward the Cayman Islands and western Cuba. It will likely enter the Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane - here's what you need to know.