Hurricane Melissa, now poised to make a historic landfall in Jamaica as a devastating Category 5 storm, has prompted urgent warnings for potentially catastrophic impacts on the island. With life-threatening flash floods, landslides, destructive winds, and severe storm surge predicted, the approaching storm could mark one of the most intense landfalls on record in the Atlantic Basin.
As of today, Hurricane Melissa is located approximately 45 miles south-southeast of Negril, moving north-northeast at 7 mph. The storm’s maximum winds have escalated to an alarming 185 mph, with a pressure reading of 892 millibars—making it one of the strongest storms recorded, matching the infamous Labor Day storm of 1935 based on atmospheric pressure and ranking just after Hurricane Allen in 1980 for wind speed.
The conditions in Jamaica are deteriorating rapidly; wind gusts reaching up to 60 mph have already been recorded in major cities such as Kingston and Montego Bay. Alongside these high winds, torrential rain is beginning to inundate the island. Outer rain bands from the hurricane are also impacting parts of southwestern Haiti and eastern Cuba.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has predicted that Jamaica could see rainfall totals of up to 40 inches, raising fears of life-threatening flash flooding and landslides, particularly in hilly areas, while eastern Cuba could witness as much as 25 inches. The southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos could also see significant rainfall, with forecasts suggesting around 10 inches.
Adding to the dangers posed by Hurricane Melissa, a storm surge forecast of 9 to 13 feet is expected along the southern coast of Jamaica, affecting critical areas, including Kingston and its airport. On the western side of the island, a 2 to 4-foot surge is also anticipated near Montego Bay. Eastern Cuba may experience a surge of between 7 to 11 feet.
As Melissa advances, it is on course to impact eastern Cuba as a powerful hurricane before continuing on its path through the Bahamas. Experts note that Melissa is already the most potent tropical cyclone of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, surpassing all other Pacific typhoons and hurricanes this year in intensity.
The potential for destructive wind conditions in Jamaica is severe, with the NHC warning that gusts could reach even higher levels along mountainous regions. Communities may face extensive infrastructural damage, power outages, and isolation due to these conditions, beginning imminently and possibly extending into the following days.
Hurricane Melissa, which formed last week, quickly intensified, highlighting the volatile nature of current weather patterns. As this storm represents the first Category 5 hurricane landfall in the Atlantic Basin since Hurricane Dorian in 2019, the implications of its strength and potential destruction have drawn significant attention from both meteorological experts and the public alike.
As the storm approaches, residents are urged to remain vigilant and prepared for widespread impacts, emphasizing the importance of safety and community support in the face of this natural disaster.