Tropical Storm Oscar Swirls Toward the Bahamas After Killing 6 People in Cuba

Weather

By Associated Press

Published 5 months ago on

October 22, 2024

Tropical Storm Oscar, after causing havoc in Cuba, heads towards the Bahamas as forecasters warn of potential flooding. (AP/NOAA)

Oscar, the smallest recorded hurricane, caught forecasters off guard with its unexpected intensity and erratic path.
The storm's impact in Cuba coincides with ongoing challenges, including a massive blackout and small-scale protests.
NOAA predicts an above-average Atlantic hurricane season, with up to 25 named storms and seven major hurricanes possible.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Tropical Storm Oscar chugged toward the Bahamas on Tuesday after making landfall in Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane, killing at least six people as it unleashed heavy rains on an island also hit by an unrelated massive power outage.

Oscar was located 70 miles (110 kilometers) east-southeast of Long Island in the Bahamas on Tuesday morning. The diminished storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was moving northeast at 12 mph (19 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

It was expected to drop up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain across the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. A tropical storm warning was in effect for the southeastern Bahamas.

Unexpected Intensity and Unusual Behavior

The storm made history as the smallest recorded hurricane, with a wind field of only about 6 miles (10 kilometers) across. It caught many by surprise as it made landfall in Grand Inagua Island in the Bahamas on Saturday and a second landfall in eastern Cuba late Sunday before making a sharp U-turn and heading back to the Bahamas.

“It’s not often we see a colossal failure in hurricane forecasting,” Michael Lowry, a hurricane specialist and storm surge expert, wrote in an analysis. He noted no models indicated Oscar would strengthen into a hurricane.

Impact on Cuba and Ongoing Challenges

Oscar dropped at least 15 inches (38 centimeters) of rain in parts of eastern Cuba on Monday, with forecasters warning of heavy flooding and possible landslides. The six deaths were reported in Guantánamo.

The storm hit as Cuba struggled to recover from a massive blackout that also sparked a handful of small protests and a stern government warning that any unrest will be punished.

Atlantic Hurricane Season Overview

Oscar is the 15th named storm and the 10th hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30.

Long-range models are forecasting that another storm could develop in the central Caribbean in about a week.

“One last gasp may be in store for the Atlantic as we turn the calendar to November,” Lowry wrote.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms before the season ends, with four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Kristy swirled over open waters in the Pacific Ocean.

It was located 470 miles (755 kilometers) west-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, on Tuesday. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) and was moving west at 16 mph (26 kph). Kristy is expected to become a hurricane by Tuesday night.