Hurricane Oscar made landfall on the northern coast of east Cuba with maximum sustained winds near 80 mph. The hurricane, characterized as “compact but powerful,” formed off the coast of the Bahamas and prompted a hurricane warning for parts of Cuba. Oscar is expected to move across eastern Cuba and then accelerate northeastward across the central Bahamas. While weakening is expected after landfall, Oscar could still be a tropical storm moving north of Cuba and across the central Bahamas. Cuba, where the electrical grid has collapsed twice in 24 hours, is bracing for the impact of the storm with storm warnings and watches in place. Eastern Cuba is expected to experience hurricane conditions and heavy rainfall, with up to 15 inches of rain in some areas. The southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos can expect significant rainfall through Wednesday morning as well. Storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is predicted along Cuba’s north shore, along with large and destructive waves near the coast. The impact of Hurricane Oscar is being closely monitored by the National Hurricane Center, with warnings and watches in place for various areas in Cuba and the Bahamas.
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