Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to dissipate in the Gulf of Mexico before it reaches land but could generate life-threatening rip currents along the Gulf Coast through the weekend, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sunday.

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,

Hurricane Rafael made landfall in western Cuba on Wednesday and has now moved on to the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Rafael remained a "powerful compact hurricane" as it slowly churned in the central Gulf of Mexico, U.S. forecasters said Friday.  Where is the storm and what is its path? According to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center,

National Hurricane Center. Forecasters say it will be a hurricane by the time it enters the southeast Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday night. The Lower and Middle Florida Keys from Key West of the Channel 5 bridge are now under a Tropical Storm Watch.

Rafael has weakened into a remnant low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico after barreling across Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane last week.

Hurricane Rafael gained momentum in the Gulf of Mexico Friday morning and returned to its powerful Category 3 status, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Over 23% of crude oil production and 10% of natural gas output in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico was shut in by Hurricane Rafael, the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said on Friday.