Hurricane Rafael was gaining strength as it churned north towards western Cuba early on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said, warning it could approach major hurricane status before slamming into the Caribbean island later in the day.

Rafael lashed the Cayman Islands in the western Caribbean with strong winds and heavy rain Tuesday night, and the Category 1 hurricane is expected to keep strengthening before it makes landfall in Cuba on Wednesday.

Rafael strengthened into a hurricane before the its projected impact on Cuba Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.