On 12 October 2012, the National Hurricane Centre produced a weather outlook on a low pressure area which later became more organised and was named Tropical Storm Rafael. Located 125 miles (200 km) west south west of Dominica, Tropical Storm warnings and watches were in effect for many of the islands of the Lesser Antilles. As it moved in a northwesterly direction the system passed west of Saint Kitts and Nevis and by the evening of 13 October 2012 the center of Rafael was between Saint Martin and Saint Croix.