Hurricane Melissa, a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 145 mph, is currently approaching Jamaica and is forecast to make landfall as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday, bringing life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds, and torrential rainfall. The storm’s slow movement is expected to cause widespread flash flooding and landslides, with up to 40 inches of rain possible in southern Jamaica and Hispaniola. Jamaican officials have activated all shelters, issued mandatory evacuation orders, and warned that some communities may not survive the flooding.
- Hurricane Melissa is moving west at 5 mph and is centered about 125 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica.
- The storm is undergoing extreme rapid intensification, having increased in strength by 70 mph in 24 hours, and is expected to reach Category 5 status within the next 24 hours.
- A life-threatening storm surge of 9 to 13 feet is forecast along Jamaica’s southern coastline, with destructive waves accompanying the surge.
- The National Hurricane Center warns of extensive infrastructural damage, long-duration power and communication outages, and prolonged isolation of communities.
- The storm has already caused at least four fatalities in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with more people missing.
- Jamaica’s Meteorological Service and officials have stated that Melissa could be the strongest storm to ever hit the island, surpassing the impacts of Hurricane Gilbert (1988) and Hurricane Beryl (2024).
- All international airports on the island have been closed, stranding tourists, and the U.S. Embassy has advised citizens to shelter in place.
