TAMPA, Fla. – The National Hurricane Center says potential Tropical Cyclone 18 will likely be named Rafael and then strengthen into a hurricane before moving into the Gulf of Mexico this week.

As of 4 a.m. Monday, the system was at 14.2 N, 76.9 W with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and moving north at 7 mph.

According to the NHC, Rafael was expected to form on Monday and make landfall in western Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday.

Potential Tropical Cyclone 18 is expected to move through the Gulf as Rafael and eventually redevelop from a hurricane back into a tropical storm.

Will the storm impact Florida?

Once the storm reaches the Gulf, it is expected to weaken back to a tropical storm due to cooler water temperatures and increased wind shear.

Models show the storm continuing west of Florida, with FOX 13 meteorologist Dave Osterberg saying the Bay Area will see some rain later this week.

“But that wind will be moving offshore,” Osterberg said. “That means there’s no storm surge or anything like that.”

Potential Tropical Cyclone 18 is expected to move through the Gulf as Rafael and eventually redevelop from a hurricane back into a tropical storm.

Elsewhere in the tropics

Tropical Storm Patty is moving east-northeast across the Atlantic and is expected to bring heavy rain to parts of Portugal and western Spain in the coming days.

Tropical Storm Patty is moving east-northeast across the Atlantic and is expected to bring heavy rain to parts of Portugal and western Spain in the coming days.