SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — On Tuesday, Tropical Storm Oscar was making its way towards the Bahamas, having previously made landfall in Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane. The storm has been linked to the deaths of at least six individuals while it brought substantial rainfall to an island that is already dealing with a significant power outage.
As of Tuesday morning, Oscar was situated approximately 45 miles (75 kilometers) south-southeast of Long Island in the Bahamas. Its winds were recorded at 40 mph (65 kph), with the storm advancing north-northeast at a pace of 12 mph (19 kph), as reported by the National Hurricane Center based in Miami.
The weather center stated that “Oscar is at best barely a tropical storm at this time.” The storm was anticipated to release up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain in the southeastern parts of the Bahamas, with certain areas possibly receiving as much as 8 inches (20 centimeters). A tropical storm warning was issued for the central and southeastern regions of the Bahamas in light of the storm’s approach.
Oscar has made history as the smallest hurricane ever recorded, with a wind field of approximately 6 miles (10 kilometers). Its unexpected strength as it hit Grand Inagua Island in the Bahamas on Saturday and made a subsequent landfall in eastern Cuba late Sunday took many by surprise. Michael Lowry, a hurricane specialist, commented on the unusual circumstances, stating that there was a “colossal failure in hurricane forecasting,” mentioning that none of the models suggested that Oscar would intensify into a hurricane.
In eastern Cuba, Oscar unleashed at least 15 inches (38 centimeters) of rain on Monday, prompting warnings from forecasters about the potential for severe flooding and landslides. The storm has been linked to six fatalities recorded in Guantánamo as it affected the region.
The timing of Oscar’s impact coincided with Cuba’s ongoing recovery efforts from a major blackout that had led to a few small protests, met with stern warnings from the government about the consequences of any disturbances.
Oscar marked the 15th named storm and the 10th hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially runs from June 1 to November 30. Predictions made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicated an above-average hurricane season, driven by exceptionally warm ocean temperatures. They forecasted between 17 to 25 named storms ahead of the season’s conclusion, with expectations of four to seven major hurricanes reaching Category 3 or stronger.
In addition to Oscar, Tropical Storm Kristy was also active over the Pacific Ocean. On Tuesday, it was located 375 miles (605 kilometers) west-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds recorded at 50 mph (85 kph), moving west-northwest at 15 mph (24 kph). Kristy is anticipated to escalate to hurricane status by Tuesday night.