Tropical Storm Rafael has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane as it swirled past Jamaica and chugged toward western Cuba.

Tropical Storm Rafael gained steam late on Monday as it churned northward toward Cuba, which is still struggling to recover from a nationwide blackout and hurricane two weeks ago. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Rafael would see "steady or rapid intensification" before plowing across western Cuba with maximum predicted winds of up to 100 mph (160 kph) by Wednesday.

Rafael is expected to become a hurricane as it passes near the Cayman Islands with further strengthening before it makes landfall in Cuba,” the National Hurricane Center in Miami said, per PBS.