Hurricane Melissa has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm — the most powerful classification possible — and is now bearing down on Jamaica, threatening to unleash what forecasters are calling one of the most dangerous weather events in the island’s history.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Melissa reached maximum strength early Monday, packing sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h). The hurricane’s center was located about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south-southwest of Kingston as of 09:00 GMT. Forecast models show the storm moving slowly northward, a trajectory that puts its core near or directly over Jamaica late Monday into Tuesday, before continuing toward southeastern Cuba and the southeastern Bahamas later in the week.
What makes Melissa particularly threatening is its slow forward speed, which allows it to dump enormous amounts of rain over the same areas for extended periods. Meteorologists warn that the storm could bring up to 40 inches (100 centimeters) of rainfall in parts of Jamaica — a deluge capable of causing catastrophic flooding, landslides, and severe infrastructure damage. The NHC has described the situation as “potentially historic,” emphasizing that flash floods and mudslides could devastate both urban and rural communities.
Authorities have already begun taking emergency action. The Jamaican government has ordered mandatory evacuations in flood-prone and coastal regions, including low-lying parts of Kingston, Portland, and St. Mary. Schools, airports, and government offices have been closed, while shelters have opened across the island. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has urged citizens to secure their homes, stock up on food and water, and avoid unnecessary travel.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness addressed the nation early Monday, calling the storm “a direct and unprecedented threat” and urging Jamaicans to take the warnings seriously. “This is not the time for complacency,” Holness said. “We are facing what could be the strongest hurricane Jamaica has ever experienced.”
Melissa has already left a trail of destruction in its wake. On the island of Hispaniola, which includes Haiti and the Dominican Republic, at least four people have been confirmed dead, with reports of homes washed away and roads rendered impassable by flooding and debris. Power outages and communication blackouts have been reported in multiple provinces.
Meteorologists say that while Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 remains one of the strongest storms ever to hit Jamaica, Melissa could surpass it if it maintains its current intensity. The combination of extreme winds, storm surge, and prolonged rainfall poses a worst-case scenario for the island’s population of nearly three million people.
Forecasters warn that even if Melissa weakens slightly before landfall, it will still bring life-threatening conditions. Wind gusts could flatten buildings, topple trees, and tear off roofs, while storm surges along the southern coast may inundate communities with several feet of seawater.
Disaster relief teams are on high alert, and international agencies — including the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the Red Cross — are coordinating potential humanitarian responses. Meanwhile, airlines have suspended flights to and from Jamaica, and cruise lines have rerouted ships away from the storm’s projected path.
As the hurricane inches closer, forecasters and officials continue to stress the urgency of preparation. The NHC’s latest advisory states that “Melissa could become the strongest hurricane ever recorded to make landfall in Jamaica”, marking what may be an unprecedented moment in the island’s modern history.
If the storm continues its projected path, Jamaica will begin feeling the full force of Melissa by Monday night, with conditions worsening overnight and into Tuesday — a period expected to bring the most severe winds, rainfall, and flooding in decades.
Source: BBC, National Hurricane Center (NHC), ODPEM, Reuters.
