NEWS RELEASE

Sunday, October 27, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.

***...OSCAR BECOMES A HURRICANE OVER THE SUBTROPICAL ATLANTIC...THE EIGHTH HURRICANE OF THE 2018 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON...***

At 4:00 p.m. the center of Hurricane Oscar was located near latitude 25.7 degrees North, longitude 55.5 degrees West. Oscar is moving toward the west near 26 km/h. A continued westward motion is expected overnight, followed by a turn toward the west-northwest by early Monday, with a northwestward motion forecast on Monday afternoon. By Tuesday, Oscar is forecast to begin moving toward the north or north-northeast with an increase in forward speed. The hurricane is then expected to accelerate quickly toward the northeast through the middle of the week.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 120 km/h with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, followed by gradual weakening thereafter.

Hurricane Oscar is not a threat to Jamaica.

The Meteorological Service will continue to monitor this system.



JKH