The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael grew into a major Category 3 storm Wednesday ahead of landfall in Cuba as it headed toward the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.

Louisianans should watch Hurricane Rafael's progress in the Gulf of Mexico, but forecasters with the National Weather Service in New Orleans say the storm doesn't pose a threat to the Bayou State on its current path.

Rafael will make a landfall in Cuba as a major Category 3 hurricane, but it will weaken considerably as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico.