Tropical Storm Oscar Live Tracker

Tropical Storm Oscar is making its way towards the Bahamas after recently making landfall in Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane, causing at least six deaths so far.

The storm unleashed heavy rain on an island already struggling with a major power outage.

Oscar went down in history as the smallest hurricane on record, with a wind field only about six miles across before it was downgraded to a storm.

However, Oscar's unexpected intensity caught many by surprise, hitting Grand Inagua Island in the Bahamas on Saturday and again in eastern Cuba late Sunday.

In eastern Cuba, the storm dropped at least 15 inches of rain on Monday, prompting warnings of severe flooding and possible landslides. The six reported deaths occurred in Guantanamo, a region already facing challenges due to a recent widespread power outage that has sparked smaller protests and government warnings of unrest.

Oscar marks the 15th named storm and 10th hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.

Where is it now?

According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Oscar was found Tuesday morning about 45 miles south-southeast of Long Island in the Bahamas, with winds of 40 mph and a north-northeast movement of 12 mph.

Oscar precipitation tracker

The storm is expected to drop up to five inches of rain in the southeastern Bahamas, with isolated areas possibly receiving up to twenty inches of rain. A tropical storm warning is currently in effect for the central and southeastern Bahamas.

Oscar wind gust tracker

Michael Lowry, a hurricane specialist, commented on the unusual circumstances, saying, “It's not often that we see a colossal error in hurricane forecasting.” He noted that no forecast models had suggested that Oscar would develop into a hurricane.

Oscar satellite tracker

So far there have been no flight interruptions at the Oscar. However, the travel website states: travelandtourworld.com, Major cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Disney are having to reroute their voyages.

What about other extreme storms and hurricanes?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average hurricane season this year, citing record-breaking ocean temperatures.

Forecasts suggest there could be 17 to 25 named storms and four to seven major Category 3 or higher hurricanes by the end of the season.

In the Pacific, Tropical Storm Kristy also made headlines as it swept across open waters. On Tuesday, it was located 375 miles west-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and a west-northwest motion of 24 mph.

Kristy is expected to become a hurricane by Tuesday evening.

This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press.