Hurricane Oscar tracker brings bad news for the Bahamas as new path revealed
Hurricane Oscar hit the Bahamas on Sunday morning and is barreling toward Cuba, where heavy rain and gusty winds are expected to hit the island.
The storm made landfall on Great Inagua Island – the southernmost district of the Bahamas – with winds of up to 80 mph (130 km/h), which is considered a Category 1 hurricane.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm is expected to hit eastern Cuba on Sunday afternoon, bringing about six inches of rain and possibly raising sea levels by four feet.
“Heavy rainfall in the steep terrain of southeastern Cuba raises serious concerns about major flooding, mudslides and rockslides,” the spokesperson said. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter.
Hurricane Oscar made landfall on Great Inagua Island, the southernmost district of the Bahamas, on Sunday morning with winds of 80 miles per hour.
The hurricane is expected to bring about six inches of rain and possibly raise ocean levels by more than four feet as far east as Cuba
“Unfortunately, the combination of these factors could result in a humanitarian crisis in some parts of southeastern Cuba, should a more intense Oscar come close to Cuba or even make landfall.”
Current forecasts say the storm could weaken once it hits Cuba and move across the island through Monday before accelerating northeast over the central Bahamas on Tuesday.
A message advisory was released at 5 a.m. ET on Sunday by the National Hurricane Center, saying heavy rains from Hurricane Oscar will lead to flash flooding in areas of eastern Cuba, coupled with possible mudslides through Tuesday.
But the storm is not expected to hit Florida, to the state’s relief after being decimated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in successive weeks.
Tropical Storm Nadine also made landfall in Belize City around 11 a.m. Saturday morning with winds around 60 mph, according to Fox 35.
Oscar is the 15th named storm in the Atlantic Ocean this hurricane season. Since before the update on the hurricane’s track, Cuba has experienced widespread power outages due to problems with the electrical grid.
Eastern Cuba is expected to be hit on Sunday afternoon, while the island is struggling with power outages that have left 11 million people without power.
The National Hurricane Center said heavy rains from Hurricane Oscar will lead to flash flooding in areas of eastern Cuba, coupled with possible mudslides through Tuesday.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (pictured) said his government is working hard to protect people and economic resources as Hurricane Oscar approaches
The blackouts began Friday morning, leaving 11 million people without electricity after the Antonio Guiteras power plant failed in the western province of Matanzas.
Officials were able to bring power back online on Saturday, restoring nearly 500 megawatts of energy to 16 percent of customers, according to Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
The hurricane is expected to worsen the country’s ongoing electricity problem.
Bermúdez wrote further X Saturday that his government is working hard to protect people and economic resources as Hurricane Oscar approaches.
The hurricane is forecast to bring rain amounts of 6 to 10 inches in eastern Cuba through Wednesday, with isolated amounts of 18 inches.
Three to five inches of rain are expected in the southeastern Bahamas, with isolated amounts around 8 inches, and another two to four inches of rain are expected in the Turks and Caicos Islands through Wednesday morning.
Cuban officials were able to bring power back online Saturday, restoring nearly 500 megawatts of energy to 16 percent of customers.
The power grid collapsed again at 10:15 PM on Saturday. The hurricane is expected to worsen this electricity problem for the population as they face their third night without power
According to the National Hurricane Center, maximum sustained winds will remain around 80 miles per hour with higher gusts.
Hurricane Oscar could bring dangerous surf and increased rainfall, putting the island at risk.
“Such hurricane impacts on Cuba are extremely concerning due to Cuba’s ongoing power grid crisis,” Porter said.
“Adding a hurricane hit on top of the existing power outage could make the hurricane impact far worse than what would happen with another hurricane hitting Cuba, further endangering lives and creating challenges in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the impacts of the hurricane. ‘