The South Florida weather forecast for Oct. 21, 2024.
Tropical Storm Oscar was producing heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash flooding over eastern Cuba Monday as it was expected to continue moving over the area throughout the day.
Oscar had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph as it moved west about 70 miles west of the eastern tip of Cuba, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The storm made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph in the eastern Cuban province of Guantanamo, near the city of Baracoa, on Sunday evening before weakening to a tropical storm.
The center of Oscar is expected to continue moving across eastern Cuba through Monday afternoon, then emerge off the northern coast of Cuba late Monday or Monday night and move near the southeastern and central Bahamas on Tuesday.
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5am EDT Monday Key Messages on Tropical Storm #Oscar. Heavy rain will continue causing life-threatening flash flooding & mudslides for portions of eastern #Cuba
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 21, 2024
More info: https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/lvWJ8vZfDQ
Some additional weakening is likely while Oscar moves across the mountainous terrain of eastern Cuba, but Oscar is forecast to be a tropical storm when it moves north of Cuba.
Rainfall amounts of 7 to 14 inches with isolated amounts of 20 inches are expected across eastern Cuba, especially within the Sierra Maestra.
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"This rainfall will lead to areas of significant, life-threatening flash flooding along with mudslides," the NHC said.
Across the southeastern Bahamas, 3 to 5 inches are expected, with isolated amounts around 8 inches, which could cause localized flash flooding.
The hurricane's arrival came as Cuba tries to recover from its worst blackout in at least two years, which left millions without power for two days last week. Some electrical service was restored Saturday.
