Hurricane Rafael, which made landfall in western Cuba as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday, is now gradually moving over the central Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Rafael made landfall in western Cuba Wednesday afternoon after it became a Category 3 hurricane earlier in the day. Rafael made landfall around 4:15 p.m. in the Cuban province of Artemisa, just east of Playa Majana, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Rafael slammed into Cuba as a major hurricane on Wednesday, and the late-season tropical system has now emerged in the Gulf of Mexico. But the question now turns to -- where is it going next?

Hurricane Rafael has made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm. It is expected to continue into the Gulf of Mexico, weakening but potentially threatening the southeastern United States. Only when tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean encounter the right ingredients for long enough do they strengthen to the point of designation.

Hurricane Rafael formed in the northwestern Caribbean near the Cayman Islands on its way to making landfall in Cuba.

Hurricane Rafael has strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico after slamming into Cuba as a major hurricane and continues to crawl westward slowly. Here's what you need to know.

Florida 's hurricane center has issued an advisory for Rafael, saying the storm is 'likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions' over the next few days. The storm is in the Gulf of Mexico.