Hurricane Rafael is now a tropical storm with winds at 65 mph.Louisiana is no longer in the forecast cone; however, the state could see rain depending on how close the storm gets. Sign up for our NewslettersRafael is now in the Gulf of Mexico where it will rapidly lose strength in unfavorable conditions.

Hurricane Rafael gained momentum in the Gulf of Mexico Friday morning and returned to its powerful Category 3 status, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The forecast cone no longer includes Louisiana. Local impacts will be primarily coastal flooding, winds and heavy rainfall from the system’s outer bands, the National Weather Service said.