Hurricane Rafael is stronger than ever in the central Gulf of Mexico

Powerful Hurricane Rafael is on a very unusual east-to-west course across the Gulf of Mexico. Only one other storm in the record book - Hurricane Jeanne in 1980 - took a similar track. Jeanne ended up weakening and looping in the western Gulf, dying out before it touched land. Rafael will meet a similar fate if the forecasts are right.

Rafael somewhat unexpectedly intensified yesterday, and that trend has continued. The storm is a well-developed Category 3 hurricane, but thankfully, it’s only stirring up the Gulf. Over the next few days, dry air and hostile upper winds will likely take their toll. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting Rafael to slow its forward motion and weaken over the weekend and into next week.

The computer model forecasts have come into better agreement that the system will make a slow loop in the western and central Gulf as it weakens. It looks likely to dissipate without making landfall.

Dangerous conditions at the beaches are likely around the Gulf, but that should be the biggest impact to land areas.

NEAR PUERTO RICO, the Tropical Disturbance we've been following continues moving through the islands. The National Hurricane Center gives it a slight chance of organizing into a tropical depression over the next couple of days.

It looks most likely to move across South Florida Sunday into Monday as a slightly gusty moisture surge. There's nothing to be concerned about.

We await a strong cold front that is forecasts to move through South Florida at the end of next week.. That will stop any tropical activity in the Gulf near Florida for a good while - and hopefully for the rest of this hurricane season.