SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Hurricane Rafael headed toward Cuba on Wednesday, forecast to make landfall in western Cuba as a major Category 3 hurricane that forecasters warn could bring “life-threatening” storm surges, winds and flash flooding.

Thousands of people in the west of the island were evacuated as a precaution before Rafael slammed into Cuba on Wednesday after raining on Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on Tuesday.

Classes and public transport were suspended in parts of the island as authorities issued a weather alert for approaching weather in the west of the country. Workers secured buildings and cleared trash along Havana’s coastline in preparation for flooding.

“Preparations to protect life and property should be completed promptly,” the National Hurricane Center in Miami warned.

Rafael – currently classified as a Category 2 hurricane – was located about 60 miles (95 kilometers) east-southeast of the Isle of Youth on Wednesday and about 130 miles (205 kilometers) south-southeast of Havana. It had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) and was moving northwest at 14 mph (22 km/h), according to the center.

Forecasters expected the storm to weaken over Cuba later before emerging in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane.

Cubans have already struggled with power outages as they recover from another hurricane two weeks ago that killed at least six people in the eastern part of the island.

The US State Department issued an advisory for Cuba on Tuesday afternoon, offering outbound flights to non-essential personnel and US citizens and advising others to “reconsider travel to Cuba due to the potential impact of Tropical Storm Rafael”.

On Tuesday morning, the Cuban Civil Defense asked Cubans to prepare as soon as possible because when the storm makes landfall “it is important to stay where you are.”

A hurricane warning was in effect Wednesday for part of the Cayman Islands and the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and Isle of Youth.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila, as well as the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge and the Dry Tortugas.

Tuesday’s storm knocked out power in parts of Jamaica and triggered flooding and landslides. The Jamaica Public Service, the island’s electricity provider, said in a statement late Tuesday that impassable roads were preventing crews from restoring power to some areas.

Meanwhile, crews from Little Cayman and Cayman Brac were expected to expand early Wednesday to assess damage after a direct hit Tuesday night.

Power outages were reported in the Cayman Islands and schools remained closed on Wednesday.

“Although conditions have improved in Grand Cayman, residents are advised to exercise extreme caution on roads and near coastlines as high swells and residual flooding risks may persist,” the government said in a statement.

Forecasters warned that Rafael would unleash heavy rains in the western Caribbean that could lead to flooding and mudslides in parts of Cuba and the Cayman Islands.

Heavy rain was also expected to spread across northern Florida and into nearby areas of the southeastern U.S. by mid to late week. The Hurricane Center predicted storm surges in Florida could reach 1 to 3 feet in the Dry Tortugas and 1 to 2 feet in the Lower Florida Keys. A few tornadoes were also expected over the Keys and southwest Florida on Wednesday.

Rafael is the 17th named storm of the season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted that the 2024 hurricane season will likely be well above average, with between 17 and 25 named storms. The forecast called for up to 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.

An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 14 named storms, seven of them hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

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Associated Press reporter Megan Janetsky contributed to this report from Mexico City.