NHC said Tropical Storm Rafael has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph ... These swells are likely to “cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the agency said. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect, the NHC said.

Rafael weakened overnight into a tropical storm and continues taking a westerly path. A system near the Bahamas could bring heavy rains to that area.

Rafael reached major hurricane status about 24 hours after becoming a tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday afternoon. Rafael lost intensity when moving into the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday after impacting Cuba as a powerful Category 3 hurricane.