Hurricane Rafael continues to gain strength and remains on track to emerge in the Gulf of Mexico where millions of people from Texas to Florida will be keeping their eyes on the late-season hurricane.

Rafael strengthened into a low-end hurricane Tuesday night as it approached the Cayman Islands in the central Caribbean Sea, the National Hurricane Center said. The rare November hurricane was expected to continue churning northwest toward western Cuba and enter the Gulf of Mexico this week,

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eighteen is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Rafael on Monday as it continues to organize near Jamaica, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center.