Hurricane Rafael weakened as it moved into the Gulf of Mexico Thursday after making landfall as a powerful Category 3 storm on the western coast of Cuba, knocking out power on the island with heavy rains and wind. According to the latest update from the ...

The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael grew into a major Category 3 storm Wednesday and made landfall in Cuba on its way into the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.

As the center of Rafael moved on to the Gulf, parts of western Cuba were experiencing "life-threatening storm surge" and flash flooding, the hurricane center said Wednesday evening. All the while, the island's entire population of 10 million was once again left in the dark,