SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Hurricane Rafael strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Wednesday just hours before it was forecast to make landfall on Wednesday in western Cuba.

Hurricane Rafael will rake Cuba’s coast with Category 3 winds later Wednesday before it crosses the island nation and emerges into the Gulf of Mexico, weakened but on a track that could threaten the US or Mexico.

Rafael intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane as it barrels toward Cuba, forecasters say.