BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — As of 3 p.m. Thursday, Hurricane Rafael was northwest of Cuba in the Gulf of Mexico, heading west-northwest near 9 mph. The Category 2 storm is expected to turn westward Thursday night, then keep moving in that direction and slightly lose speed through the weekend. The storm is not expected to hit the U.S., but it could bring rain to Louisiana this week. Several high school football games were rescheduled because of concerns over the weather. On the forecast track, Rafael is expected to move over the southern Gulf of Mexico for the next few days. Maximum sustained winds have increased to nearly 105 mph with higher gusts. Some small intensity fluctuations are possible overnight. See the 3 p.m. Thursday forecast for Hurricane Rafael. It's expected to weaken on Friday and through the weekend. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 968 mb (28.59 inches).  After the next 48 hours, the track begins to become very uncertain. Most models favor a slow turn to the southwest. That would take Rafael further away from Louisiana and eventually lead to decay in the southwest Gulf. Other models, namely the GFS and Canadian, bring Rafael further north in a weakened state spreading a good chance of rain across the northern Gulf Coast. Right now, due to its location and distance, the best forecast is that Rafael will spread coastal showers and thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast over the weekend. The system will decay over time. Will Louisiana have a cold or warm winter? NOAA releases 2024-25 weather outlook As it moves westward, the outermost rain bands will likely graze the Gulf Coast. Tropical moisture from the Gulf in addition to a cold front moving towards our area from the west will aid in scattered showers and thunderstorms across our area this weekend. The storm is not expected to make landfall in Louisiana. If it does make landfall along the northern Gulf, it will be a much weaker system at that time. Scattered showers and breezy easterly winds are our weather impacts for this weekend. Make sure you have your rain gear for any outdoor plans, stay alert and frequently check the latest forecasts and guidance.    Latest News Elwood Edwards, man who voiced iconic 'You've got mail' alert, has died Independence man arrested, faces 20 child porn charges Restoration, repairs continue at dry dock in Houma on historic Navy ship USS KIDD Trump picks Susie Wiles for White House chief of staff 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid: A minivan with a twist