SLP, Mexico.- Hurricane Rafael, category three on the Saffir-Simpson scale, made landfall in Playa Majana, Artemisa, at 4:20 pm, according to reported the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States.
It is estimated that the winds Sustained maximums are 115 mph (185km/h) with gusts exceeding 200 km/h. The minimum central pressure is 956 mb (28.23 inches).
Havana International Airport has reported sustained winds of 44 mph (71 km/h) and a wind gust of 71 mph (114 km/h). The weather station in the Casablanca area recently reported a wind gust of 93 mph (150 km/h).
It is currently located about 50 km southwest of Havana and 40 km southeast of Bahía Honda, Cuba.
It maintains a movement towards the Northwest (320 degrees) at 14 mph (22 km/h).
The authorities Cuban companies reported this Wednesday afternoon that the disconnection of the National Electrical System occurred due to the “strong winds caused by the highly intense hurricane Rafael.”
A note from the state company Unión Eléctrica (UNE) reported that the disconnection occurred at 2:48 pm. and “contingency protocols” are applied in the face of the imminent arrival of the meteorological phenomenon.
The Unión Eléctrica had announced this Wednesday that, when the winds of Hurricane Rafael reached 60 kilometers per hour “the controlled disconnection of the distribution circuits will be carried out in those affected areas (…) to avoid accidents and failures in the electrical networks” .
Meteorologists have informed on Cuban Television that the dangerous Hurricane Rafael, which made landfall after reaching category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, will cause heavy, intense rains and the hurricane is moving towards the northwest, towards Pinar del Río.
This was reported by Dr. José Rubiera who transmitted an explanation about the meteorological event that impacts Cuba.
Rubiera, consulted by specialists from the Institute of Meteorology (INSMET), specified that Rafael will take a trajectory further west than expected and will cross the eastern part of the province of Pinar del Río.
