**Hurricane Oscar Intensifies to Category 1 Near Grand Turk Island**

Hurricane Oscar has escalated from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. advisory on Saturday. The storm is now exhibiting winds reaching 85 mph and is located 5 miles south of Grand Turk Island and 435 miles east of Camaguey, Cuba. Oscar is advancing westward at a speed of 10 mph.

Meteorologists have indicated that there may be slight additional strengthening overnight, but they anticipate that the hurricane will start to weaken gradually by Sunday night and into Monday.

Residents within the warning areas should brace for the arrival of hurricane conditions tonight, with tropical storm conditions expected imminently. This makes last-minute preparations hazardous. For those in the watch areas of Cuba, hurricane conditions could approach by Sunday night, with tropical storm conditions becoming apparent by Sunday afternoon.

Projected rainfall through Tuesday suggests accumulations of 4 to 6 inches across eastern Cuba, with isolated pockets receiving up to 8 inches. The Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas could see 2 to 4 inches of rain, with some localized areas experiencing up to 6 inches.

In addition, the National Hurricane Center warns of a dangerous storm surge likely to cause substantial coastal flooding in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where water levels may rise between 2 and 4 feet. The surge is expected to bring large and destructive waves. Meanwhile, the north shore of Cuba could experience minor coastal flooding.

For more detailed information, including a complete depiction of the rainfall forecast associated with Hurricane Oscar, visit hurricanes.gov for the latest updates.