ATLANTA — Tropical Storm Oscar formed Saturday morning east of Turks and Caicos. It has developed a well-defined center and continues to produce concentrated areas of showers and thunderstorms.
Maximum sustained winds are 40 mph with stronger gusts. Oscar is moving west at 13 mph and is expected to continue westward toward Cuba. Some further intensification is possible. As Oscar approaches Cuba, it will veer northward, but landfall may take place along the coast of Cuba.
Short-range forecast models agree with Oscar's westward movement, but long-range models are divided. Oscar may linger in the Caribbean before eventually turning to the north.
Tropical systems typically turn northward into the Atlantic's open water at this time of year. Oscar is NOT expected to impact Florida at this time.
Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands, southeastern Bahamas, and the Cuban provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Cuban province of Camaguey.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center.
Through Tuesday, rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated amounts of 6 inches, are expected across the Turks and Caicos, southeastern Cuba and the southeastern Bahamas.
How many hurricanes have there been this season?
The 2024 Hurricane Season will leave its mark forever. Oscar is the 15th named storm in the Atlantic Basin, preceded by Tropical Storm Nadine, which formed just hours before.
Nine of those became hurricanes. Four of the nine hurricanes reached major hurricane status, a category three or higher. This included Helene, which was the U.S.'s deadliest hurricane since Katrina. Thirty-three Georgians lost their lives in Helene, and nearly 100 lost their lives in North Carolina.
Although the season's "peak" is more than a month away, there is still a way to go. Hurricane season officially ends on November 30, in about six weeks.
