Rafael made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday afternoon in western Cuba before weakening, the National Hurricane Center said.In a 7 p.m. update, the center said Rafael was 55 miles west-northwest of Havana,

Even without a landfall in Florida, the state is expected to feel some impacts from Rafael, starting as early as today.

Tropical Storm Rafael intensified into a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday, making landfall in western Cuba as it approached the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The storm is bringing life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds, and flash flooding.