Hurricane Oscar Hits Great Inagua, Heads Toward Cuba
NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC)— Hurricane Oscar made a significant impact on Great Inagua Island in the southeast Bahamas early Sunday morning. The cyclone, classified as a Category One storm, represents one of the latest threats in the Atlantic Basin this season.
According to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center, Oscar is now moving toward Cuba, which is already grappling with the fallout from a massive power outage. The potential for a dangerous storm surge could exacerbate coastal flooding on Great Inagua and other parts of the southeastern Bahamas. Expected rainfall accumulations range from two to four inches, with isolated areas potentially seeing up to six inches.
Forecasters predict that eastern Cuba could experience even heavier rainfall, with totals between five and ten inches and isolated pockets receiving as much as 15 inches by Tuesday. This makes the current trajectory of Oscar and its potential impacts particularly concerning for the storm-battered region.
Oscar has been noted as one of the smallest cyclones ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. Its hurricane-force winds, which exceed 74 mph, extend only five miles from its center. The hurricane’s eye was observed by a Hurricane Hunter aircraft as being slightly over three miles wide, drawing parallels with the small-scale structure of Hurricane Wilma back in 2005.
Due to its compact nature, Oscar is expected to experience frequent fluctuations in intensity as it interacts with pockets of dry air and wind shear dynamics. These factors contribute to the unpredictable behavior of the cyclone as it continues its path through the region.
Oscar joins Tropical Storm Nadine as part of the active storm systems in the Atlantic, with Nadine having been named near Belize on Saturday morning. The presence of these storms underscores an active weather pattern that continues to demand close monitoring by coastal communities and officials.
Source: Jamaica Observer
