Tracking Hurricane Rafael as it heads into the central Gulf of Mexico

The Weather Authority Meteorologists are tracking Hurricane Rafael as it tracks farther away from Southwest Florida.

Minimal impacts continue on Thursday, with isolated storms and breezy conditions expected for your afternoon plans.

According to the National Hurricane Center’s 4 a.m. advisory, Rafael is moving
toward the northwest near 12 mph, with a turn toward the west at a slower forward speed expected later Thursday.

This general motion is expected to continue into Saturday.

Hurricane Rafael is forecast to remain a Category 2 hurricane as it tracks west and into the central Gulf of Mexico.

From there, high pressure will build across the Southeast, keeping Rafael south of the northern Gulf Coast states.

As of this morning, Rafael is now forecast to weaken and potentially impact Mexico early next week slowly.

WINK News will continue to update you regarding Hurricane Rafael and its impacts.

In the Southwestern Atlantic, a low-pressure trough is producing an area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms several hundred miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands.

This system is expected to move generally westward during the next few days.

Afterward, some gradual development of this system is possible toward the end of the week and into the early part of the weekend while it moves near or to the north of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and approaches the Southeast Bahamas.

This area of moisture can bring isolated showers to Southwest Florida on Sunday and Monday.

Over the next seven days, there is a 30% chance of further development.