Hurricane Oscar made landfall early Sunday in the southeastern Bahamas, impacting Great Inagua island and heading toward Cuba, which is still grappling with the aftermath of a major power outage. The storm is expected to cause severe weather conditions, including storm surges and significant rainfall.
Guantanamo radar capturing the approach of the diminutive inner core of #hurricane #OSCAR. It appears to be headed towards the general direction of Baracoa. This is likely a case in which you don’t see much wind until you’re in the eyewall. It’ll be a sudden & destructive blast. pic.twitter.com/qz3JwuDGOL
— Jose M Garcia (@HuracanadoWX) October 20, 2024
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami confirmed that Oscar’s center arrived on Great Inagua island in the Bahamas. The island, along with other parts of the southeastern Bahamas, is bracing for dangerous storm surges, which could result in coastal flooding. The forecast predicts two to four inches of rainfall, with isolated areas potentially seeing up to six inches.
As Oscar moves westward, eastern Cuba is expected to bear the brunt of the storm. Weather experts predict five to 10 inches of rain across the region, with some areas possibly receiving as much as 15 inches by Tuesday. These conditions could exacerbate an already fragile situation, as Cuba is still reeling from last week’s widespread power outage.
Hurricane Oscar’s maximum sustained winds are currently 80 mph (130 kph), with higher gusts. The storm’s center is approximately 150 miles (240 kilometers) east-northeast of Guantanamo, Cuba. Moving at 12 mph (19 kph), the storm is projected to reach Guantanamo or Holguin, Cuba, by Sunday afternoon, maintaining hurricane strength.
Oscar’s approach comes at a difficult time for Cuba, which is still recovering from its worst blackout in two years. The power outage, which left millions of Cubans without electricity for two days, was only partially restored on Saturday. With the looming threat of Hurricane Oscar, the nation is facing renewed challenges in maintaining essential services and preventing further infrastructure damage.
Philippe Papin from the National Hurricane Center expressed surprise at how quickly Oscar intensified into a hurricane. “Unfortunately, the system kind of snuck up a little bit on us,” Papin admitted, noting that Oscar was initially deemed a “tiny” storm.
In related weather news, Tropical Storm Nadine formed off Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast earlier but quickly weakened into a tropical depression as it moved over land.
