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

Tropical storm Rafael was chugging past western Jamaica on Tuesday and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it headed toward Cuba.

Tropical Storm Rafael was rapidly picking up steam on Tuesday afternoon as it chugged toward the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean, and will likely become a hurricane in the next few hours, according to the U.