Hurricane Melissa, a powerful and slow-moving Category 4 storm, is closing in on Jamaica, bringing with it destructive winds, torrential rainfall, and the threat of catastrophic flooding and landslides. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that Melissa could strengthen even further before making landfall, potentially reaching Category 5 intensity with winds exceeding 157 mph (250 kph).
According to the NHC, Jamaica could receive up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain, with localized areas in the island’s east seeing as much as 40 inches (1 meter). Western Haiti is expected to receive up to 16 inches (40 centimeters) of rain, posing grave risks of flash floods and mudslides. “Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely,” the center warned, adding that a life-threatening storm surge could inundate Jamaica’s southern coast.
As of Sunday night, Melissa was located roughly 125 miles (205 kilometers) south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and 310 miles (495 kilometers) south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba. It carried maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (241 kph) and was moving west at only 5 mph (7 kph), allowing it to dump vast amounts of rain over the same regions for hours.
The storm has already claimed four lives across the Caribbean—three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing. Officials warned that conditions could worsen as the system continues to intensify before moving northward toward southeastern Cuba on Tuesday night and the Bahamas on Wednesday.
Jamaican officials have issued urgent appeals for residents to take the warnings seriously. “Do not gamble with Melissa. It’s not a safe bet,” said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council. Emergency teams are on high alert, and residents in low-lying or flood-prone areas have been advised to evacuate immediately.
Meteorologists say Melissa could be the most powerful hurricane to strike Jamaica in decades. Evan Thompson, principal director at Jamaica’s meteorological service, said it might become the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall on the island in modern history. “Gilbert in 1988 was a Category 3 when it hit, while Ivan and Beryl were both Category 4 storms that narrowly missed the island,” Thompson explained. He added that post-storm cleanup could be significantly delayed due to blocked roads, landslides, and damaged infrastructure.
On Jamaica’s southern coast, storm surges could reach up to 13 feet (4 meters) above ground level, particularly in areas east of Melissa’s projected landfall. “We are in a very serious time over the next few days,” warned Daryl Vaz, Jamaica’s transport minister, urging citizens to stay indoors and comply with evacuation directives.
Melissa is also expected to strike eastern Cuba, where hurricane warnings have been issued for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and HolguÃn provinces. Las Tunas remains under a tropical storm warning, with forecasts predicting up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain and dangerous coastal surges.
Meanwhile, the storm has already left a trail of devastation across Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In the Dominican Republic, authorities reported that over 750 homes were damaged and more than 3,700 people were displaced. Floodwaters have isolated 48 communities, and schools and government offices remain closed across several provinces still under red alert.
In Haiti, Melissa has compounded an already dire humanitarian situation. The storm has destroyed crops across three agricultural regions, including 15 hectares (37 acres) of maize, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO warned that widespread flooding is “obstructing access to farmland and markets, jeopardizing harvests and the winter agricultural season.” This comes as 5.7 million Haitians—over half the population—face crisis levels of hunger, with 1.9 million already in emergency conditions.
Meteorologists expect Melissa to continue bringing torrential rainfall and damaging winds to southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic over the coming days, while Jamaica braces for what could be one of its most destructive hurricanes in living memory.
