Hurricane Melissa: Catastrophic Category 5 Storm Hits Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa's Landfall and Impact

• 🌀 Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica around 2 p.m. as a Category 5 storm, with initial winds of 185 mile per hour.
• ⚠️ This storm is being called the worst to hit the Caribbean island this century.
• 🌍 Up to 1.5 million people in Jamaica were expected to be directly affected by the storm.
• ⚡ Widespread flooding and power outages were reported in Haiti.

Storm Intensity and Land Interaction

• 💨 Although the eyewall dissipated upon landfall due to interaction with land, Melissa remains a Category 4 storm.
• ⛰️ As the storm moves over Jamaica's mountains, its intensity is affected, with winds potentially being 30% stronger at higher elevations.
• 📉 Winds have decreased to 145 mile per hour from the initial 185 mph, downgrading it from a Category 5 to a Category 4.

Storm Track and Future Threats

• ➡️ The hurricane is projected to move towards Cuba next, with officials evacuating over 600,000 people.
• 🇨🇺 It is expected to make landfall in eastern Cuba as a Category 4 and exit as a Category 3.
• 🇧🇸 The storm will then move over the Bahamas as a Category 2.
• 🇧🇲 Bermuda could still experience 100 mile per hour gusts as the storm approaches.

On-the-Ground Conditions in Jamaica

• 🌊 In Portmore, Jamaica, residents have been experiencing intense strong winds and driving rain for at least 2-3 hours after the storm's initial landfall.
• ⛈️ Flooding is occurring due to both storm surge from the sea and runoff that has nowhere to go.
• 💥 The destructive power of 185 mph winds means that structures directly hit by the eyewall are likely no longer standing.