Jamaica and several Caribbean nations are bracing for a potentially catastrophic storm as Tropical Storm Melissa intensifies rapidly over exceptionally warm Caribbean waters. Forecasters warn that Melissa could become one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to strike Jamaica, bringing days of life-threatening weather conditions.
Authorities are urging residents in vulnerable areas to prepare immediately for torrential rain, flash flooding, landslides, destructive winds, power outages, and dangerous coastal waves. Officials fear that Melissa’s slow movement could make the impact last for days, significantly increasing the risk of severe flooding.
The storm has already unleashed heavy rains across Haiti and the Dominican Republic, triggering landslides and widespread flooding. Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency confirmed three deaths, including two from a landslide, while in the Dominican Republic, one person has died and more than 1,000 residents have been forced to evacuate from flood-prone regions.
As of early Saturday, Melissa was located around 170 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, with sustained winds near 70 mph — just below hurricane strength — and drifting slowly west-northwest at about 3 mph. According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Melissa is expected to reach hurricane strength by Saturday morning and then undergo rapid intensification, potentially becoming a Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 155 mph by Sunday night or Monday.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has issued a hurricane warning, while southern Haiti remains under hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings. Meteorologists caution there’s even a possibility that Melissa could reach Category 5 status, which would make it among the strongest storms ever recorded in the region.
Experts attribute the storm’s explosive growth to record-high sea surface temperatures in the Caribbean, fueled by the ongoing effects of global warming. This year has already seen several storms — including Erin, Gabrielle, and Humberto — intensify at an unusually fast rate, a pattern that scientists say will likely continue as the planet warms.
The NHC predicts that up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) or more of rainfall could fall across parts of Jamaica, southern Haiti, and the southern Dominican Republic through early next week. Such rainfall could result in devastating floods and landslides, especially in mountainous regions.
Emergency officials in Jamaica are urging people to stock up on essential supplies, secure their properties, and follow evacuation orders if issued. With Melissa’s core expected to pass dangerously close to Jamaica, forecasters warn that the next few days could bring some of the most extreme weather the island has ever faced.
Source: National Hurricane Center (NHC), Haitian Civil Protection Agency, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, and CNN Weather reports.
