Tropical Storm Oscar has dissipated as it moved towards the Bahamas after hitting Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane, resulting in the loss of at least seven lives and causing heavy rainfall on an island already grappling with a significant power outage.
The remnants of Oscar were situated approximately 75 miles east-southeast of Long Island in the Bahamas on Tuesday afternoon. The storm's maximum sustained winds decreased to 35 mph as it moved northeast at 12 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Forecasters anticipated that the remnants of Oscar would bring up to 4 inches of rain to the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Oscar made history as the smallest recorded hurricane, with a wind field spanning only about 6 miles across. The storm surprised many as it made landfall in Grand Inagua Island in the Bahamas on Saturday and then struck eastern Cuba before reversing course and heading back towards the Bahamas.
Michael Lowry, a hurricane specialist, highlighted the unusual nature of Oscar's development, noting that no models had predicted its intensification into a hurricane.
Oscar dumped at least 15 inches of rain in parts of eastern Cuba, leading to concerns about flooding and potential landslides. The seven reported deaths occurred in the province of Guantánamo.
The storm hit Cuba at a challenging time as the country was already dealing with a massive blackout that triggered some small protests and a stern government warning against any unrest.
Oscar marked the 15th named storm and the 10th hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Long-range forecasts suggest the possibility of another storm forming in the central Caribbean in about a week.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season due to record-warm ocean temperatures, forecasting between 17 to 25 named storms and four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.
Meanwhile, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Kristy strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday. The storm, located west-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, was expected to remain over open waters without posing a threat to land.
No coastal watches or warnings were in effect for Kristy as it continued to move westward with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
