Hurricane Melissa strengthens in the Caribbean: ‘It will break many records’

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica, near New Hope. The latest update from the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that conditions in Jamaica are “extremely dangerous and life-threatening,” and urged residents to remain in their shelters as the eye passes over the island, since winds will intensify rapidly.

The hurricane has become the strongest in the world this year. “Melissa will break many records. But we hope that casualties will be kept to a minimum thanks to the power of prediction, the benefits of international and regional cooperation based on data sharing and observations, and national action and community mobilization based on trust,” said Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands are expected to bear the brunt of Hurricane Melissa as it moves slowly west-northwest and is forecast to turn north.

“It [Melissa] is very slow, it is very, very, very intense. And that means the outcome may potentially be extreme devastation and danger,” said Pearnel Charles, Jamaica’s Minister of Labour and Social Security, in an interview with CNN.

Current location and forecasted path

As of 3:00 p.m. Miami time on Tuesday, Hurricane Melissa was located at 18.3° N latitude and 77.9° W longitude, about 24 kilometers (15 miles) from Montego Bay, with maximum sustained winds of up to 161 mph. According to the NHC, the system will continue moving slowly north over the next 24 hours before gradually turning west. On Tuesday, the hurricane’s path was concentrated over Jamaica and heading toward Cuba.

Forecast

Melissa is the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in Jamaica since records began in 1851. Catastrophic flash floods, landslides, and destructive winds are expected across the island, causing widespread infrastructure damage and power and communication outages. Storm surges and life-threatening waves are expected along the southern coast.

In Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Melissa is forecast to strike as a tropical storm, bringing catastrophic flash floods and landslides. Haiti could experience extensive infrastructure damage and leave communities stranded.

For eastern Cuba, the NHC warns of heavy rains, flash flooding, and potentially catastrophic landslides, along with life-threatening storm surges and high winds. In the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, potentially life-threatening storm surges and heavy rainfall are expected.

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