The Forecast Center of the Meteorological Institute of Cuba (INSMET) alerted this Sunday that Hurricane Oscar will make landfall in the afternoon along the northern coast of the island, between the provinces of Guantánamo and Holguín.
The latest bulletin from INSMET, published on Facebook, reports that Hurricane Oscar, a category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour, continues to move west-southwest, reducing its forward speed to 11 kilometers per hour.
Despite this decrease, it is presenting winds with gusts exceeding 130 km/h, and the minimum pressure has dropped to 986 hectopascals, it was reported.
At noon, the center of the hurricane was located at 20.7 degrees north latitude and 74.0 degrees west longitude, situated about 55 kilometers north-northeast of Punta de Maisí, the easternmost point of Cuba, and 65 kilometers northeast of Baracoa, both locations in the province of Guantánamo.
According to INSMET, in the next 12 hours, Oscar will continue its trajectory between the west and the west-southwest, possibly gaining some more intensity, and it is forecasted that the cyclone will make landfall on the afternoon of this Sunday along the northern coast of Cuba, at some point between the provinces of Guantánamo and Holguín.
The weather conditions have already begun to worsen in Guantánamo and Holguín, with rain, showers, and thunderstorms, which will spread throughout the afternoon to the rest of eastern Cuba.
The precipitation will be intense, especially in mountainous areas, with accumulations that could range between 100 and 200 millimeters in the next 24 hours.
Winds will also gradually intensify, reaching speeds between 85 and 100 kilometers per hour in the afternoon-evening, with higher gusts.
The bulletin indicated that in the areas closest to the impact of the hurricane, such as Guantánamo and Holguín, winds could reach up to 120 kilometers per hour, reaching hurricane strength.
On the northeastern coast, strong swells are already being recorded, especially north of Guantánamo and Holguín, which will extend tonight towards the northern coast of Las Tunas. This will cause moderate coastal flooding in low-lying areas, such as the seafront of Baracoa.
Meteorological authorities urge to pay close attention to the evolution and trajectory of Hurricane Oscar in the eastern provinces, especially due to its destructive potential.
The next tropical cyclone advisory will be issued at 3:00 PM this Sunday, the bulletin noted.
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