NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Tropical Storm Rafael is on the verge of becoming a hurricane as it moves through the Caribbean and toward the Gulf of Mexico. According to U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunters, Rafael's intensity has increased with maximum sustained winds at around 70 miles per hour. Rafael is currently moving northwest at 15 mph, steered by an area of high pressure over the western Atlantic. This ridge of high pressure is expected to guide Rafael generally northwestward over the next day or two, with the center of the storm forecast to pass close to the Cayman Islands and western Cuba. Between two to three days from now, forecast models suggest Rafael may take a more westward turn as high pressure builds further west along the northern Gulf Coast. After this period, the storm's path becomes less certain, with models split on where it may go and how strong it may be. Expect very warm conditions to continue through the week. Wednesday will see near record highs with mid to even upper 80s in some spots. Look for that to continue on Thursday with just spotty showers around each day. By Friday we start to see some moisture from Rafael move north and rain chances go up a bit. Right now it still looks like the main impacts of the storm would be Saturday and Sunday. At this point it does not look like we see anything major in terms of tropical impacts. However rain chances could go up for the weekend depending on the future path of the storm. We still need another day or two to get a better idea on the future of Rafael. Continue to stay with WGNO on air and online for the latest. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Mississippi voters turn out in Bay St. Louis for Election Day Staying warm as we watch Rafael through the week Trump still brings jitters to leaders south of border Dick Van Dyke recites Civil Rights speech while endorsing Harris: 'Hatred is not the norm' Kentwood man killed in Amite-area crash