Oscar developed on Oct. 19, in the western Atlantic becoming the 15th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season. It would become the smallest hurricane on record in the Atlantic.

What You Need To Know

  • Oscar developed from a tropical wave into a hurricane in less than 24 hours

  • It was the smallest hurricane on record with a wind field of 5 to 6 miles

  • Oscar brought heavy rain to the Bahamas and Cuba

A weather disturbance moved off the west coast of Africa in early October and traversed the Atlantic Ocean. Upon reaching the western Atlantic, it thrived in favorable environmental conditions. 

Despite being given a low potential to develop on Oct. 18, Oscar became a tropical storm on the morning of Oct. 19. Within a few hours, it had intensified into a category 1 hurricane. Its hurricane wind field remained small, five to six miles, becoming the smallest hurricane in history, according to hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry.

Oscar peaked with winds of 85 mph and brought wind and rain to the Bahamas and Cuba. It made its initial landfall on the island of Inagua and then a second landfall in eastern Cuba on Oct. 20.

There were no direct impacts on the United States, only dangerous surf conditions along the southeast U.S. coast as Oscar dissipated in the open Atlantic.

Check to see how the rest of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is going so far.

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