Hurricane Oscar eyes the Bahamas and Cuba

The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season continues, and things certainly are not showing signs of slowing down in the immediate future.

Tropical Storm Nadine formed early this morning in the far western Caribbean Sea, and made landfall in Belize as a strong tropical storm, with 60 mph winds. If Nadine had just another day over water, there is a good possibility it could have made a run at hurricane intensity given the favorable environmental conditions.

Tropical Storm Oscar also formed this morning, and was initially only expected to strengthen slightly while tracking over the Turks and Caicos Islands, toward Cuba. However, NOAA Hurricane Hunters found that Oscar, a very tiny tropical cyclone, had strengthened into a hurricane early this afternoon.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for the southeastern Bahamas in response to Hurricane Oscar, and additional intensification will be possible as Oscar tracks toward Cuba and makes landfall there early Monday morning.

After making landfall in Cuba, Oscar is expected to turn quickly northeastward and track over the central Bahamas while weakening. Unfavorable environmental conditions will likely lead to the tropical cyclone dissipating by the middle of next week.

Thankfully, Oscar is no threat to the United States, but hurricane and tropical storm impacts are already taking place across the Turks and Caicos Islands, and will continue across the Bahamas and portions of the Cuba coastline the next few days.