Hurricane Oscar Strengthens, Expected to Track on Path to NE Atlantic

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Hurricane Oscar is continuing to strengthen, reaching near-Category 3 levels, as it churns out in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) in a 5 a.m. update, Oscar is “moving faster toward the north” and is expected to “produce high surf along the Bermuda beaches through Wednesday,” Oct. 31.

The maximum sustained winds hit 105 mph while the entire system is moving 13 mph north, the agency said.

The storm isn’t expected to hit land as a hurricane. “There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect,” said the agency.

Hurricane Oscar is continuing to strengthen, reaching near-Category 3 levels, as it churns out in the Atlantic Ocean. (NHC)

“The hurricane is forecast to accelerate toward the north-northeast or northeast during the next couple of days,” said the NHC, adding that a “gradual weakening trend is forecast to begin tonight. Oscar is expected to become a powerful extratropical low over the north-central Atlantic by late Wednesday.”

Bermuda is expected to be hit by large swells triggered by Oscar.

According to a forecast model, Oscar is predicted to pass over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean before moving near Iceland.

“Model guidance indicates that the shear will not increase further until tonight, so the intensity is held steady for the next 12 hours. After that time, south-southwesterly shear if forecast to increase and become quite high in 36-48 hours,” reads a discussion from the NHC.

The agency added: “There is little change to the track forecast reasoning from the previous advisory. Over the next couple of days, Oscar should continue to accelerate, toward the north-northeast, in the flow on the southeast side of a mid-latitude trough that has just moved off the United States east coast. Later in the period, post-tropical Oscar should become more embedded within the trough and in the mid-latitude westerlies, and move northeastward over the northeastern Atlantic. The official track forecast is similar to the previous one and is a blend of the simple and corrected dynamical model consensus predictions.”