Hurricane Rafael strengthens to powerful Category 3 storm as it heads to Cuba

Rafael has strengthened into a powerful Category 3 hurricane ahead of its expected landfall in Cuba. Forecasters warn that Rafael could bring “life-threatening” storm surges, winds and flash floods on western swathes of the island, after knocking out power and dumping rain on the Cayman Islands and Jamaica.It was expected it hit the Isle of Youth in the coming hours and make landfall later on Wednesday. Forecasters expected the storm to later weaken over Cuba, but emerge on the southeastern Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane.