Hurricane Oscar, now a tropical storm, was the smallest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, with hurricane wind fields only 5-6 miles across. The small size of Oscar helped it evade detection by satellites and weather models. It was the first hurricane with hurricane-force winds less than 11.5 miles across. Oscar was initially classified as a Category 1 hurricane, but high-resolution wind estimates suggested it could have been as strong as a Category 2 or 3. The storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall to eastern Cuba, leading to flash flooding and mudslides, as well as localized flooding in the southeastern Bahamas. In the U.S., powerful waves from Oscar may hit East Coast beaches. Oscar formed shortly after Tropical Storm Nadine, which made landfall in Belize and dissipated in Mexico.
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