Hurricane Melissa has intensified into a Category 1 storm and is forecast to rapidly strengthen into a major hurricane over the weekend, posing a severe and multi-day threat of life-threatening flash flooding, landslides, and extensive wind damage to portions of southern Hispaniola and Jamaica, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced Saturday.
The storm, seen over the Caribbean Sea, is currently moving slowly northwest with sustained winds of 75 mph. As of Friday evening, Melissa was situated approximately 165 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. Forecasters attribute the expected rapid intensification to a decrease in wind shear and the storm’s slow movement over very warm Caribbean waters on Saturday and Sunday.
Melissa is forecast to approach Jamaica as a major hurricane with winds exceeding 110 mph by Sunday. The hurricane is expected to linger near the island from Sunday through at least Tuesday, making it a prolonged event that could lead to catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, extensive damage from damaging winds, and life-threatening storm surge.
This multi-day onslaught of heavy rains, with totals of 10 to 20 inches expected in eastern Jamaica and southwestern Haiti, has the potential to cause widespread and long-duration power outages, delivering a heavy blow to Jamaica’s energy infrastructure.
“Life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides are expected in portions of southern Hispaniola and Jamaica into early next week,” the NHC warned. Hurricane conditions are expected to begin in southern Haiti later Saturday, reaching Jamaica later in the day and continuing into Sunday morning.
READ :Judge Strikes Down Florida Ban On Concealed Carry For Under-21 Adults
The storm’s anticipated track—slower and at a more impactful angle from the south—raises serious concerns that Melissa could surpass the destructive impacts of past hurricanes.
Hurricane warnings are currently in effect for Jamaica, while hurricane watches remain for Haiti’s southwestern peninsula, spanning from the Dominican Republic border to Port-au-Prince.
Beyond the major threat to Jamaica, 6 to 12 inches of rain are expected across the rest of Haiti and into the southern Dominican Republic, where significant, life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides remain a distinct possibility through the weekend and into early next week.
Following its trek past Jamaica, Melissa is expected to move north of the island to cross southern Cuba and reach the central or southern Bahamas by Wednesday or Thursday before making a turn toward the central Atlantic later next week. Residents in all at-risk areas are urged to finalize preparations immediately and heed all warnings from local emergency management officials.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
