SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — 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.

Tropical Storm Rafael slipped by western Jamaica en route to the Cayman Islands and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane Tuesday evening, federal forecasters said.Rafael, which formed Sunday as Potential Tropical Cyclone 18,