Rafael weakened on Saturday and is expected to remain a tropical storm in the central Gulf of Mexico from Sunday into Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced. On Saturday morning, the agency said the storm was about 290 miles of Progreso, Mexico. Rafael is moving northwest at six mph, the NHC said.

Rafael has weakened to a tropical storm and was expected to dissolve over the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days after barreling across Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane.

Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to weaken and dissipate over the Gulf of Mexico early this week. While the direct threat to land has diminished, the storm's remnants will continue to influence weather conditions in the region.