The National Hurricane Center is increasingly confident that Hurricane Rafael will not make landfall along the Louisiana coastline.

After becoming a major hurricane and making landfall in western Cuba Wednesday evening, Rafael is now expected to avoid landfall in the United States as it takes more of a westward track taking it away from the mainland.

The hurricane — currently a Category 2 with 100 mph maximum sustained winds — is expected to lose wind intensity gradually this weekend as it hovers in the Gulf of Mexico.

National Weather Service Lake Charles Storm Warning Coordinator Doug Cramer said Southwest Louisiana will instead experience “unsettled weather” through the weekend as an approaching weak cold front pulls moisture in from Rafael.

“There is a slight risk potential — at least 15 percent — for excessive rainfall on Saturday due to a frontal system meeting up with some moisture from Rafael,” Cramer said.

He said chances favor widespread rainfall amounts that could range from 0.25 inch to 4 inches. Localized areas of flash flooding will be possible.

Calcasieu and parts of Cameron and Beauregard parishes remain under a severe drought classification, Cramer said. Jeff Davis and Allen parishes are labeled as in moderate drought conditions. Despite the rain the region has received the past three days, no areas experienced a drought degradation this week. The drought is expected to persist through January.

He said well above-normal temperatures have occurred over the past week and are expected to continue through the rest of November.