A tropical storm forming in the Southern Gulf is predicted to turn into a hurricane. What Mississippi can expect from potential Hurricane Rafael

(Reuters) -Hurricane Rafael is passing through the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean and is forecast to rapidly intensify before making landfall in western Cuba, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

MEMA is warning Mississippi residents to be prepared for Rafael as it strengthens into a hurricane that could possibly impact the state.

While the worst of Rafael will remain far to the west of the lower part of the state, South Florida, particularly the Keys, will still experience some lower magnitude fringe impacts beginning Wednesday afternoon.

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

Hurricane Rafael swirled past the Cayman Islands and was expected to rapidly intensify before making landfall on Wednesday in western Cuba, where it's forecast to hit as a Category 2 hurricane. It was another stroke of bad news for Cuba,

Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to become a major hurricane before it makes landfall in western Cuba, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday morning.In a 10 a.m. ET update, the NHC said Rafael was 130 miles south-south-east of Havana,