Hurricane Oscar has made landfall in the southeastern Bahamas and is now moving towards Cuba, where a massive power outage has already caused chaos. The National Hurricane Center in Miami has issued warnings about dangerous storm surges and significant coastal flooding in the Bahamas. Rainfall of two to four inches is expected, with some areas receiving up to six inches.
Forecasters are predicting heavy rainfall of five to 10 inches across eastern Cuba, with isolated spots getting as much as 15 inches by Tuesday. Oscar formed off the coast of the Bahamas on Saturday and passed by the Turks and Caicos islands on its way.
Although initially classified as a “tiny” storm, Hurricane Oscar now has maximum sustained winds of 80 mph with higher gusts. It is currently located east-northeast of Guantanamo, Cuba, moving west at 7 mph. The storm is on track to hit Guantanamo or Holguin, Cuba, on Sunday at hurricane strength.
The timing of Hurricane Oscar is unfortunate for Cuba, which is still recovering from a major blackout that left millions without power for two days last week. While some electrical service has been restored, the arrival of the storm poses additional challenges for the island nation.
Philippe Papin of the National Hurricane Center admitted that Oscar’s rapid intensification into a hurricane caught forecasters off guard. He described it as a system that “kind of snuck up a little bit on us.”
In addition to Hurricane Oscar, Tropical Storm Nadine has formed off Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast. However, Nadine weakened into a tropical depression as it moved over land.
The situation remains fluid as both storms continue to impact the region. Residents are advised to stay updated on the latest developments and follow safety precautions as necessary. Stay tuned for more updates on the evolving weather conditions in the Bahamas and Cuba.
