Tropical Storm Oscar comes to life in the Atlantic and heads toward the northern Caribbean

MIAMI – Tropical Storm Oscar suddenly formed in the western Atlantic on Saturday, transforming almost instantly from a disturbance that struggled for days to organize itself into a robust tropical cyclone in just a few hours, reaching hurricane strength and bracing some northern Caribbean islands for its impacts.

Oscar rapidly strengthened Saturday morning, and the latest data from the NHC suggests sustained peak wind speeds of 70 mph as it rotates less than 200 miles from the southeastern Bahamas. Tropical storm warnings now cover parts of the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands and eastern Cuba.

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The storm, previously named Invest 94L, barely clung to its tropical development outlook Friday. But Oscar found a patch of warm water and atmospheric conditions he liked and quickly developed a well-defined center by Saturday morning.

The storm will bring heavy rainfall, rough surf and gusty winds. Gusts in excess of 40 miles per hour will reach the island's shores Saturday evening as part of tropical storm warnings. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches (up to 6 inches in isolated areas) in the Turks and Caicos Islands, southeastern Cuba and southeastern Bahamas are likely through Tuesday, according to the NHC.

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“The system will move westward near the Dominican Republic and Haiti and then stall near or over the southeastern Bahamas or eastern Cuba,” said FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross. “It is forecast to remain there until Monday, probably as a weak system. Hostile high-altitude winds will intrude and whatever remains will likely be swept north.”

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Tropical Storm Oscar became the second tropical storm to be named on Saturday, following Tropical Storm Nadine, which was named near Belize early Saturday morning.

TROPICAL STORM NADINE THREATENES VISITING RAIN IN BELIZE, SOUTHERN MEXICO

Could Tropical Storm Oscar hit the US?

While the northern Caribbean islands monitor Oscar's progress, the storm continues to pose no threat to the United States.

An extensive ridge of high pressure anchored over the East Coast acts as a protective barrier, with a front at the ridge's boundary providing hostile atmospheric conditions for any tropical systems approaching Florida or the southeast coast.