Tropical Storm Oscar continues Cuban assault, forecast to turn toward Bahamas

ORLANDO, Fla, — The surprise hurricane that popped up and lashed Cuba over the weekend lost some steam Monday, and is forecast to turn and head toward the Bahamas and away from Florida by Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of the NHC’s 5 a.m. advisory, the center of what is now Tropical Storm Oscar was located about 5 miles east of Guantanamo, Cuba and 60 miles west of the eastern trip of the island nation moving west at 2 mph with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out up to 45 miles from the center.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the north coast of the Cuban provinces of Las Tunas, Holguin, and Guantanamo to Punta Maisi, the south coast of Cuban Province of Guantanamo and the southeastern Bahamas.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for the north coast of the Cuban province of Camaguey and the central Bahamas.

“A turn to the northwest and north is expected later today, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Tuesday and Wednesday,” forecasters said. “On the forecast track, the center of Oscar is expected to continue moving across eastern Cuba through this afternoon, then emerge off the northern coast of Cuba late today or tonight and move near the southeastern and central Bahamas on Tuesday.”

The NHC said the system could lose further intensity as it moves over the mountainous terrain of eastern Cuba, but still expected to be a tropical storm when it moves back over water late Monday and then heads toward the Bahamas.

The system is forecast to drop between 7 and 14 inches of rain with some areas of Cuba getting up to 20 inches, which could lead to flash flooding and mudslides.

The southeastern Bahamas is forecast to get 3-5 inches with some areas getting up to 8 inches.

Oscar became the 14th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, spinning up quickly from a low pressure system that had only been given a 10% chance to develop on Friday.

Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.