Rafael strengthened into a hurricane before the its projected impact on Cuba Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Rafael was rapidly picking up steam on Tuesday afternoon as it chugged toward the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean, and will likely become a hurricane in the next few hours, according to the U.

A broad area of low pressure in the western Caribbean Sea is becoming better organized and the National Hurricane Center is initiating advisories on the system as of 4 p.m. Sunday.